To Thomas Jefferson from Albert Gallatin, 18 April 1805
From Albert Gallatin
18th April 1805
Dear Sir
I enclose the following papers
1. Rufus Easton’s communications returned
2. Recommendations in favor of Vacher of New York for some of the land offices in Louisiana.—For the office of commissrs. in upper Louisiana there are two other applicants—Lucas who, being poor, is afraid the expences there will be more than his salary as judge and, I conjecture, will not be able to accept that office unless he also obtains the other—Clement Penrose of Philada. a nephew of Mrs. Wilkison who intends moving there. I know nothing of him except that he is honest & speaks very good French: he is independent in his circumstances & having a growing family is induced to go in order to make provision for his children. As the office of Register commences only on 1st Septer. I detained Trimble’s1 commission till your return, in order that, you might take a general view of the whole subject at once:—also recommendation in favor of Fromentin—
3. Recommendations in favor of Muse, & application by Brett Randolph, who had been formerly warmly recommended by John Randolph. His not being appointed post-master at Fredericksburg gave him, I think, some disgust.
4. A letter from M. Lyon & a note from Gen. Dearborn respecting the vacancy of collector at Massac. Either the man recommended by M. Lyon or the commanding officer must be appointed. The place is a sinecure of 250 dollars; the only duty that of granting two or three registers a year to vessels built below Louisville
5. A recommendation in favor of J. Saunders as 2d mate of the revenue cutter of Philadelphia. You received at Monticello a recommendation for 1st mate on which you wrote that you would act on your return
6. recommendation in favr. of M. Baldwin as marshal of Ohio
7. Papers relative to the establishment of Sacket’s harbour as an additional port of entry on Lake Ontario as authorized by a former law. From an investigation of the subject & late conversation with Mr Tillier who resided several years on Black river, I have no doubt of its being the proper place; and, on the whole, it is probable that A. Sackett himself will do for collector.
8. Letters from Mr Nicholas respecting E. Randolph, one of which you have already seen. I wish to consult you before the propositions are adopted or rejected
With great respect & attachment Your obedt. Servt.
Albert Gallatin
RC (DLC); at foot of text: “The President of the United States”; endorsed by TJ as received from the Treasury Department on 18 Apr. and “Louisa. officers. Brett Randolph. Officer of customs Massac. Saunders. Baldwin Sackett. W. C. Nicholas” and so recorded in SJL. Enclosures: (1) Communications of Rufus Easton on upper Louisiana (see Easton to TJ, 17 Jan.; Gideon Granger to TJ, 1 Apr.). (2) See John Francis Vacher to TJ, 23 Mch. (3) Probably William Polk to Gallatin, 6 Mch., from Somerset County, Maryland, recommending his son-in-law, Eligius Fromentin, as “well qualified to fill almost Any Office that may be Vacant in” Louisiana (RC in DNA: RG 59, LAR; endorsed by TJ: “Fromentin Eligius for office in Louisa. Judge Polk to mr Gallatin”). (4) Matthew Lyon to Gallatin, 2 Apr., from Bedford, Pennsylvania, concerning the need for a customs official at Fort Massac; Lyon understands that Captain Daniel Bissell has orders to remove from his post and that the situation requires an official to give registers to vessels descending from there; he recommends Gideon D. Cobb, a “Steady Man,” and will act as his security (, 10:778-9). (5) Probably Jared Mansfield to Gallatin, 23 Mch., from Marietta, Ohio, adding his “testimony to that of Others” in favor of Michael Baldwin’s appointment as marshal of the Ohio district; Mansfield asks that Gallatin pass on his recommendation to the president (RC in DNA: RG 59, LAR). Other enclosures not found, but see below.
Among the enclosed documents recommending Francis Vacher for one of the new western land offices may have been a letter from John Brown to Gallatin. Brown mentioned Vacher as a good candidate, as well as Clement Penrose (RC in same, 1:1162-3; endorsed by TJ: “Brown John to mr Gallatin”). John B. C. Lucas discussed his financial needs with Gallatin some time before leaving Washington, and in a letter of 4 May to Madison repeated his request to be named a land commissioner in the Louisiana Territory, in addition to his appointment as territorial judge. If not granted the position, he would have to decline his judicial commission (RC in same; endorsed by TJ: “Lucas John B. C. to be Commr. Louisa”).
The commanding officer at Fort Massac, Daniel Bissell, had been appointed collector in January 1803 (Norman W. Caldwell, “Fort Massac: The American Frontier Post, 1778-1805,” Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, 43 [1950], 279-80; Vol. 39:315).
received at Monticello: Gallatin to TJ, 26 Mch.
former law: “An Act to make Beaufort and Passamaquoddy, ports of entry and delivery; to make Easton and Tiverton, ports of delivery; and to authorize the establishment of a new collection district on Lake Ontario,” approved on 3 Mch. 1803 (, 2:228-9).
Wilson Cary Nicholas had been interceding on behalf of Edmund Randolph in the latter’s defense against U.S. claims for a shortfall in his accounts as secretary of state. After Gabriel Duvall, the arbitrator, ruled against Randolph in November 1804, Nicholas assumed control of Randolph’s property and agreed to reimburse the government in four installments. He may have discussed the plan in letters of 3 Mch. and 3 Apr. to Gallatin (not found). In a response of 11 Apr., Gallatin expressed broad approval of the plan but worried that “there is some difficulty respecting the dispensation of the negroes” and wondered if Nicholas’s “assumption shall be taken in lieu of the lien on the real estate.” Gallatin viewed the plan as beneficial to the United States, but, as Nicholas’s friend, he regretted it. At some point, TJ obtained a document, dated 1 Jan. 1804, listing some of Randolph’s ideas for the arrangement with Nicholas. Randolph was to cede land and slaves to Nicholas while retaining control over pork and tobacco raised on the land (MS in MHi, in Edmund Randolph’s hand; , 10:806; John J. Reardon, Edmund Randolph: A Biography [New York, 1975], 356-7; Duvall to TJ, 20 Nov. 1804).
1. MS: “Thrimble’s.”