To James Madison from John Swartwout, 6 October 1815
From John Swartwout
New York 6 Oct. 1815
Sir,
Robert R Hunter Esqr. of this City will hand you this letter. Mr. Hunter is anxious to receive the appointment of a consul at some Port in France.
As an uniform friend to his Country firmly attached to its republican institutions & administration, his character in private life all render him highly worthy the confidence of the Government. Should he succeed in his application it will reflect honor on the country & be at the same time highly flattering to his Numerous and respectable republican fri[e]nd[s] & also to yr. Obt Hble servt
Jno Swartwout 1
RC (DNA: RG 59, LAR, 1809–17, filed under “Hunter”).
1. John Swartwout (1770–1823), the brother of Samuel and Robert Swartwout, was marshal of New York from 1801 to 1806, when he was removed for compromising the government’s filibustering case against Samuel G. Ogden and William Stephens Smith. During the War of 1812, he served on the New York City committee of public safety and as a brigadier general in the state militia (Smith et al., Papers of Andrew Jackson, 7:158; New York National Advocate, 11 Aug. 1814; New York Columbian, 22 Sept. and 12 Dec. 1814).