To James Madison from John Fellows, 11 March 1815
From John Fellows
New york March 11. 1815
Sir,
Apprehending that the office of military storekeeper, which I hold by your favour, is rendered precarious by the peace; and which at any rate is comparitively of trifling consideration; and presuming that the office of Navy Officer for this port has become vacant by the appointment of its present incumbent, Mr. Ferguson, to the mayolty of this city, I take the liberty respectfully to solicit an extension of your goodness by appointing me to that office.1 I beg leave to refer you to the letters in my behalf, which I had the honour to present to you and the Secretary of War, from Govr. Tompkins and Judge Spencer,2 And am Sir with the greatest respect your Obt. servt.
Jno. Fellows
RC (DNA: RG 45, Misc. Letters Received).
1. Informed by JM’s administration that he could not hold both offices, John Ferguson resigned the mayoralty of New York in June 1815. He remained naval officer of the New York customhouse until his death in 1832 (Historical Sketch of the Board of Supervisors of the County of New York; With the Names of Its Members, from Its Creation to the Present Time. … [New York, 1862], 17 n.). Fellows served as military storekeeper until honorably discharged from the army in 1821 (, 1:416).
2. The letters have not been found.