Thomas O’Connor (1770–1855), editor and author, was a native of County Roscommon, Ireland, who immigrated to New York in 1801 after having participated in the Irish rebellion of 1798. He joined in an attempt to establish a Catholic colony in Steuben County before moving to New York City by 1804. There O’Connor was active in the Irish community and edited a number of publications, including the War, 1812, the Military Monitor, 1812–13, the Shamrock, 1814–17, and the Globe, 1819. He also authored works on the War of 1812 and the Inquisition. From 1831 through 1838 O’Connor was listed in New York City directories as a commissioner, and he chaired a meeting that passed resolutions supporting Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren in 1835 (Guy H. McMaster, History of the Settlement of Steuben County, N.Y. [1853], 183; Catholic Historical Review 4 [1919]: 400–2; Brigham, American Newspapers description begins Clarence S. Brigham, History and Bibliography of American Newspapers, 1690–1820, 1947, 2 vols. description ends , 1:665, 690, 697; [O’Connor], An Impartial and Correct History of the War between the United States of America, and Great Britain [New York, 1815] and The Inquisition Examined, by an Impartial Reviewer [New York, 1825]; Longworth’s New York Directory description begins Longworth’s American Almanac, New-York Register, and City Directory, New York, 1796–1842 (title varies; cited by year of publication) description ends [1831]: 493; [1838]: 480; New York Working Man’s Advocate, 14 Mar. 1835; New York Evening Post, 22 Feb. 1855; gravestone inscription in the Basilica of Saint Patrick’s Old Cathedral, New York).

O’Connor sent a similar letter to James Madison on this day (Madison, Papers, Retirement Ser., 1:467–8).