To Thomas Jefferson from Micajah Coffin and Others, 24 January 1805
From Micajah Coffin and Others
Nantucket. 24th. January 1805
As the office of Collector for the District of Nantucket has become Vacated by the Death of Stephen Hussey Esqr. which Circumstance took Place to Day and as we have discovered the wish of Goverment to make appointments that Should be most Conformable to the minds of the Majority it Emboldens us to Reiterate the Recommendation in favour of our Friend Daniel Coffin as he is Considerd as a Person Sutiable to fill the office of Collector—further adding that he is not only attached to, but has been assidiously attentive in Promoting the “Present order of things” and is Estemed as a Man of Probity
We are Apprehensive that Recommendations will be forwarded in favour of Daniel B Hussey (son to the Late Collector) by the Federilsts and his Near Connections—
We have to Say that the Said Hussey is a high fedarilst and from his Conduct he is a Man that is much opposd to the Present order of Goverment—
with Sentiments of Esteme we are &c
Micajah Coffin
P:S. Notwithstanding but few have signed this, there are more than five Hundred can be readily procured here at Nantucket if Circumstances should Render it Necessary
RC (DNA: RG 59, LAR); in a clerk’s hand; at foot of text above postscript: “Thomas Jefferson Esqr. Presedent of the United States”; signed by Coffin and 11 others; endorsed by TJ: “Coffin Daniel to be Collectr. Nantucket v. Stephen Hussey decd. lre to mr Crownenshield.”
This Recommendation continued a writing campaign for the appointment of Daniel Coffin that Micajah Coffin and his brother Isaac Coffin, who was one of the signers of the memorial printed above, began in the spring of 1804 (Vol. 43:518-19). Micajah Coffin wrote to Ebenezer Seaver on 14 Nov. 1804 to condemn Daniel B. Hussey, to ask that Seaver help release Nantucket from its “federall Shackels” by encouraging the appointment of Daniel Coffin, and to request that Seaver contact Phanuel Bishop and Joseph Bradley Varnum (RC in DNA: RG 59, LAR; endorsed by TJ: “Coffin Danl. to be Collectr. Nantucket v. Hussey”). Nantucket resident Hezekiah Bunker, another signer of the memorial printed above, wrote to Seaver on 24 Jan. also in support of Daniel Coffin (RC in same; endorsed by TJ: “Coffin Daniel to be Collector Nantucket”). In Hudson, New York, another Coffin also sought the collectorship. On 12 Jan., after hearing of Hussey’s grave illness, Jared Coffin wrote to John P. Van Ness to request that, should Hussey die, his name be put forward to TJ as the collector’s replacement (RC in DNA: RG 59, LAR; endorsed by TJ: “to be Collector of Nantucket”).