To Thomas Jefferson from James Jackson, Abraham Baldwin, and Peter Early, 4 March 1803
From James Jackson, Abraham Baldwin,
and Peter Early
Washington, March 4h, 1803.
Sir,
The Act disposing of the lands of the United States South of Tenessee, having required the appointment of two Commissioners, besides the land register for each of the districts, of Adams and Washington; and Georgia being as much interested in their duties, as any State—We take the liberty to state, that we hope it will be deemed proper to take one Commissioner of each board, from the Citizens of Georgia; and therefore recommend as proper Characters, William H Crawford, and James McNeil esquires, to fill those stations, and perhaps as much (if not better) acquainted with the state of lands there, as any others which could be selected.
We are Sir, with the highest respect, & consideration
Jas Jackson
Abr Baldwin
Peter Early
RC (DNA: RG 59, LAR); in Jackson’s hand, also signed by Baldwin and Early; at foot of text: “The President of the United States”; endorsed by TJ as received 4 Mch. and so recorded in SJL with notation “Commrs. Missipi”; also endorsed by TJ: “Wm. H. Crawford H. Mc.Neal to be Missipi Commrs.”
Peter Early (1773–1817) was born in Virginia, graduated from the College of New Jersey at Princeton, and studied law in Philadelphia before moving to Georgia in 1795. He was a member of the House of Representatives in the Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Congresses, afterwards serving as a judge in Georgia, as governor, and in the state senate ().
act disposing of the lands: see Joseph Anderson to TJ, 4 Mch.
Jackson had enthusiastically endorsed William H. crawford in a letter to TJ in July 1801. TJ did not name Crawford or McNeil to be land commissioners in Mississippi Territory (Vol. 34:592–3; TJ to Madison, 12 July 1803).