To James Madison from Joseph Kent, 12 March 1815
From Joseph Kent
Rose Mount Near Bladensburg 12th. March 1815
Sir,
About two years ago I had the honor to present to you recommendations couched in the strongest terms & from the first characters in Maryland in favour of Mr. W. G. D. Worthington of Nottingham & you were good enough to express your approbation of them, & intimate your willingness to notice him whenever a fit opportunity occured.1
As a proof of Mr. Ws. worthiness he was last fall unanimously elected to a seat in the Senate of this state.
He is a lawyer by profession & possesses talents & integrity, but is poor with a large family, in consequence of his property consisting in unsettled lands in the State of Kentucky.
If there is any thing within your gift, with a moderate salary, I do not think you coud better dispose of it, than to bestow it on this deserving Man.
I am well aware that I have no particular claims on you for favours, but I really think Mr. W. has & I hope I shall not incur the imputation of presumption when I take the liberty of pointing out a character at once deserving of your notice, & well fited to discharge with advantage to the country any duties that may be imposed on him. With great respect yr. Ob. Sevt.
Jos: Kent
RC (DNA: RG 59, LAR, 1809–17, filed under “Worthington”).
1. See Kent to JM, 26 July 1813, 6:469–70. William Grafton Dulany Worthington (1785–1856) served in the Maryland House of Delegates, 1809–10 and 1823–24, and in the state senate, 1814–15. He was employed as principle clerk in the U.S. comptroller’s office, 1816–17, as a State Department special agent to promote commerce between the United States and Argentina, Chile, and Peru, 1817–19, and as secretary and acting governor of East Florida, 1821–22 (Looney et al., Papers of Thomas Jefferson: Retirement Series, 2:196; A Register of Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, in the Service of the United States, … [Washington, D.C., 1816; 39584], 5; Letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, Transmitting a Statement of the Names of the Clerks in the Treasury Department… During the Year 1817 [Washington, D.C., 1818; 46348], 5).