From Thomas Jefferson to the Senate, 28 January 1805
To the Senate
To the Senate of the United States.
I nominate Charles Tenant Porter of East Tenissee to be Marshal of East Tenissee for four years from the expiration of his present commission of Marshal.
Edward Scott of East Tenissee to be Attorney for the US. in the district of East Tenissee.
Algernon Sidney Stanford of Maryland to be Collector & Inspector of the revenue for the port & district of Vienna in Maryland.
Ormond Tuley of North Carolina to be Surveyor & Inspector of the revenue for the port of Slade’s creek.
William Walton of Maryland to be Commercial Agent for the US. at Santo Domingo.
Th: Jefferson
Jan. 28. 1805.
RC (DNA: RG 46, EPEN, 8th Cong., 2d sess.); endorsed by a Senate clerk. PoC (DLC); check marks added by TJ alongside first four entries and notation “negativd” at Walton’s entry. Notation in SJL: “Nomns. Porter. Scott. Stanford. Tuley. Walton.”
For previous requests by William Walton for an appointment as commercial agent at Santo Domingo, see TJ to Justus Erich Bollmann, 17 Oct. 1804. Writing to Madison on 11 Dec., Walton reiterated his desire for the post, citing his knowledge of the language and the island, as well as his “great acquaintance” with the French commander, General Louis Ferrand. Walton also claimed credit for securing the release of several American merchant vessels taken into the port (RC in DNA: RG 59, LAR; endorsed by TJ: “Walton Wm. to be Comml. Agent Sto. Domingo”).
Isaac A. Coles presented TJ’s nominations to the Senate on 28 Jan. The following day, the Senate approved the nominations of Porter, Scott, and Stanford, but postponed Tuley’s. The Senate rejected Walton’s nomination after Samuel Smith asserted that Walton was a British subject of poor reputation and unfit for the post. Tuley’s appointment received approval on 1 Feb. (, 1:481-2; , 254; John Quincy Adams, diary 27 [1 Jan. 1803-4 Aug. 1809], 131, in MHi: Adams Family Papers).