To George Washington from Peter Baynton, 6 May 1789
From Peter Baynton
New York May 6th 1789
The Petition of Peter Baynton most respectfully sheweth
That your Petitioner was appointed in the Year 1776, Comptroller of the General Post Office by Richard Bache Esquire Post Master General, in whom was vested the Appointment of all the Offices of that Department & your Petitioner continued to execute the Duties of his Office with the Approbation of his Patron and to the Satisfaction of the Public until the Begining of the Year 1782, when a new Arrangement was made by the late Congress and your Petitioner (without any Impeachment of his Integrity or Conduct) was superseded.1
Your Petitioner therefore prays of the President, that he may be reinstated, by appointing him the first subordinate Officer (the Station he formerly filled) to the Post Master General and your Petitioner will ever pray.2
Peter Baynton
ALS, DLC:GW.
Peter Baynton (1754–c.1825) was the son of the Philadelphia merchant John Baynton, a partner in the firm of Baynton, Wharton, & Morgan. Peter Baynton read law in Philadelphia before the Revolution. In 1776 Baynton was named comptroller and put in charge of the post office at Philadelphia (Richard Bache to John Hancock, 18 Jan. 1777, DNA:PCC, item 61).
1. Baynton presumably lost his job at the same time Richard Bache did. See Bache to GW, 21 April 1789.
2. On 1 Mar. 1791 Baynton wrote GW a short letter requesting that he be appointed supervisor of the revenue (DLC:GW). Baynton received none of the appointments he sought.