To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Bryan, 21 March 1801
From Samuel Bryan
Lancaster 21st. of March 1801
Sir,
I had the honor of writing to you some weeks ago on the subject of an appointment, and transmitting sundry documents to sustain my pretensions to your notice—Mr. William Findley one of our most distinguished characters wrote a letter to your Excellency in which he gave a detailed statement of my conduct in the Office I have held for six years past that of Register General of the State, an office in which all accounts are settled, and the Finances of the State yearly arranged & reported to the Legislature; this letter he sent under cover to Mr. Gregg with a request to deliver it in person—
This day I wrote to Mr. Gallatin on the same subject, but after my Letter was put in the Post-Office I heard that he had left Washington for some weeks, which determined me to take it out and enclose it to your Excellency to hand to Mr. Gallatin when he returns & for the purpose of your looking over it.
I have the honor to be, With high esteem and regard, Your humble. Servt.
Saml. Bryan
RC (DNA: RG 59, LAR); at foot of text: “His Excellency Thomas Jefferson, President”; endorsed by TJ as received 2 May and so recorded in SJL with notation “Off.” Enclosure: Bryan to Albert Gallatin, 21 Mch. 1801; seeking appointment as supervisor of the revenue for Pennsylvania, he reiterates the contribution he made to the success of the Republican ticket in 1800 with his “Sketch of an Address,” as testified to by Solomon Myers and William Reed; to support his expertise in financial affairs he notes that as register general of Pennsylvania he made many enemies by his “persevering resolution against a host of delinquents,” and that when he took office almost one thousand accounts were open, but only six of any importance remained in arrears, because he “introduced a habit of punctuality in the rendering of the current revenue accounts and in the payment of the monies received into the State Treasury” (RC in NHi: Gallatin Papers).
Bryan’s letter to TJ requesting an appointment is printed at 26 Feb. On the same date William Findley wrote TJ recommending Bryan.