Notes on New York Patronage, [after 17 February 1801]
Notes on New York Patronage
[after 17 Feb. 1801]
David Gelston of N.Y. Collector of revenue vice Sands. recommdd. by Genl. John Smith.
estimable, popular, a merchant formerly.—but Armstrong says not estimated
devoted to Burr. at any rate this is to lie for further information.1
Willett is not popular, not esteemd
liv’d. in ad—y &c—a tool &c—
not approvd. by Clinton. devotd to B.
Rogers the naval officer is an Englishman, come over not long since.
Harrison & Giles ought to go out.
H. a revolutry. tory
G. was an officer. most violent party man.
packs grand juries2
Willett was a sheriff many years and a very good one. he might do for that. still not popular.
MS (DNA: RG 59, LAR, 4:0549); undated; entirely in TJ’s hand, written on a scrap of paper, probably at several sittings as indicated by interlineations and horizontal rules.
On 9 July TJ appointed David Gelston to replace Joshua Sands as collector of New York. John Smith and Senator John Armstrong were in Washington serving as members of the Sixth Congress from New York and thus were available to offer their opinions on Gelston’s candidacy immediately following TJ’s election in the House. Noting that he did not know TJ personally, Gelston, on 13 Mch., requested that Madison intervene with the president in his favor. Madison forwarded Gelston’s letter to TJ; the president endorsed it and kept it with his papers on appointments (RC in DNA: RG 59, LAR; Biog. Dir. Cong.; , 1:403; Madison, Papers, Sec. of State Ser., 1:16–17; Appendix I, List 3).
Liv’d. in ad—y: lived in adultery. In 1799 Marinus Willett divorced Susannah Vardle, whom he had married in 1793 immediately after the death of his first wife. Shortly after the divorce he married Margaret Bancker, a much younger woman than he. Willett also had an illegitimate son who was born in 1783 while he was married to his first wife ( ; , l:524n). See also Willett to TJ, 24 Feb. 1801.
Although a Federalist with a Loyalist background, Richard Rogers retained his lucrative position as naval officer at the customs office until 1803 because the Republicans could not agree upon an acceptable replacement for him ( , 1:537–8; , 1:453).
In late March, TJ removed Richard Harison, the U.S. district attorney for New York nominated by Washington in 1789, and Aquila Giles, the U.S. marshal in New York since 1792. In one of his lists, TJ noted that Giles was “delinquent in money largely.” TJ appointed Edward Livingston and John Swartwout to serve, respectively, in those positions ( , 1:32–3, 121–2, 217, 362–3; Appendix I, Lists 3 and 4). That TJ does not list the candidates for these offices indicates that he wrote this note early in his consideration of New York appointments.
1. Preceding passage, beginning at “but Armstrong,” interlined.
2. Preceding three words interlined above “party man.”