To James Madison from Moses Carlton Jr. and Others, 3 March 1814 (Abstract)
From Moses Carlton Jr. and Others, 3 March 1814 (Abstract)
§ From Moses Carlton Jr. and Others. 3 March 1814, Wiscasset. “The office of District Attorney for the District of Maine having become vacant by the death of the Hon. Silas Lee, we would beg leave to recommend to your Excellencys notice the Hon. Erastus Foote of Camden, as a person well qualified to discharge the duties of that important office. Mr Foote has been in the practice of the Law thirteen years, in a section of the Country immediately connected with general commerce, & is of course well acquainted with maritime Law & commercial transactions. He is County Attorney for the County of Lincoln, has been a member of the Senate of Massachusetts, & resides in a central part of the District of Maine. Mr Foote is a man of high standing in society, in point of talents & information, integrity & moral rectitude; & his appointment to the office of District Attorney for the District of Maine, would be pleasing to all & peculiarly gratifying to the commercial class of its citizens.”
RC (DNA: RG 59, LAR, 1809–17, filed under “Foote”). 1 p.; signed by Carlton and five others. Two letters to JM of the same date from citizens of Camden and Thomaston, District of Maine, respectively, also recommended Foote for the office, as did a 4 Mar. 1814 letter from William King and others. All the recommendations were evidently forwarded to JM on 14 Mar. 1814 by Joseph B. Varnum and Abiel Wood, who stated that the signers were “persons active & influential in the Highest ranks” (ibid.).