To James Madison from Auguste Chouteau and Others, 5 December 1813 (Abstract)
From Auguste Chouteau and Others, 5 December 1813 (Abstract)
§ From Auguste Chouteau and Others. 5 December 1813. “We the undersigned, members of the General assembly of the Territory of Missouri; Do Certify that from a Knowledge of the uprightness, talents and ability of Rufus Easton Esquire of the Town of St. Louis, formed on a personal acquaintance, we believe him a character eminently qualified for the office of a Judge for this Territory, and recommend him to the President and Senate of the United States for that appointment.”
RC (DNA: RG 59, LAR, 1809–17, filed under “Easton”). 1 p. Signed by Chouteau and fourteen others. Filed with the recommendation are two additional copies (one of which is certified), including all the signatures, and two copies signed only by Matthias McGirk and George Cavaner, respectively. Easton (1774–1835) was named a Louisiana Territory judge in 1805, but due to his involvement in a controversy with territorial governor James Wilkinson he was not reappointed in 1806. He served as postmaster of St. Louis from 1805 through at least 1811, as Missouri Territory’s delegate to Congress, 1815–17, and as Missouri state attorney general, 1821–26 (Lawrence O. Christensen et al., eds., Dictionary of Missouri Biography [Columbia, Mo., 1999], 271–72). JM nominated Alexander Stuart and George Bullitt as Missouri Territory judges in a message dated 7 Feb. 1814, and the Senate confirmed the appointments two days later ( 2:470).