To Thomas Jefferson from David Bard, 27 March 1804
From David Bard
City Washington 27th. March 1804—
Sir.
In a letter received on last Saturday, Mr. Hugh Ferguson of Philadelphia, requested me to mention his name to you, in hopes that you would please to consider him as a candidate for one of the Offices in that City, when ever a vacancy should occur—He has not mentioned any particular Office to me—
I have been intimately acquainted with Mr. Ferguson for Some Years—He is temperate, honest, and attentive to business His political principles are republican,1 and his attachment to the republican administration is uniform and firm—If he should have the honor of an appointment under the Executive, I trust his conduct would justify the confidence that may be placed in him—
Please to pardon this interruption, and to accept the high consideration of
Yr. Mo. Obdt. Servt
David Bard
RC (DNA: RG 59, LAR); endorsed by TJ as received 30 Mch. and “Ferguson Hugh. Phila. for office in Phila.” and so recorded in SJL.
David Bard (1744-1815) graduated from the College of New Jersey in 1773, studied theology, and became a Presbyterian minister, serving in congregations in Virginia and Pennsylvania. In 1788, he settled in Blair County, Pennsylvania. A Republican, he served in Congress from 1795 to 1799 and from 1803 until his death. In the Eighth Congress, he spoke out against slavery (Richard A. Harrison, Princetonians, 1769-1775: A Biographical Dictionary [Princeton, 1980], 266-9; Daily National Intelligencer, 23 Mch. 1815; ; Stephen W. Brown, Voice of the New West: John G. Jackson, His Life and Times [Macon, Ga., 1985], 60-1; Vol. 42:401n).
1. MS: “repulican.”