To James Madison from Thomas P. Grosvenor, 1 April 1816
From Thomas P. Grosvenor
Washington April 1st 1816
Sir,
I understand that Col Samuel Hawkins has made application for the office of Commissioner under the Act to authorize payment for property lost &c by the capture of the Enemy &c.
I beg leave to state to you that I am and long have been well acquainted with Col Hawkins.1 I know him to be every way qualified for that office. And I am very sure no gentleman could be selected who would be more solicitous to do justice both to the Government & the Claimant. I may speak too warmly for him. But the above is my decided conviction. And I should heartily rejoice to see him obtain the appoin[t]ment. With Great Respect I am Your obedient
T P Grosvenor
RC (DNA: RG 59, LAR, 1809–17, filed under “Hawkins”).
1. Grosvenor had previously written to JM recommending Hawkins for the position of New York district attorney (see Thomas P. Grosvenor and others to JM, 23 Feb. 1815, 9:25). In addition to the present letter, JM received three others recommending Hawkins for commissioner: one from John Lovett (DNA: RG 59, LAR, 1809–17, filed under “Hawkins”; 2 pp.) and one from John B. Yates (ibid.; 1 p.), both dated 1 Apr. 1816; a third, dated 5 Apr. 1816, was signed by Abraham H. Schenck and fifteen others (ibid.; 2 pp.). All the signatories to these letters, including Grosvenor, were members of the New York delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives. On 8 Apr. 1816 JM nominated Hawkins to be a boundary commissioner for the United States under articles 6 and 7 of the Treaty of Ghent ( 3:42–43), and the Senate confirmed the appointment on 11 Apr. (ibid., 43).