To George Washington from Richard Morris, 19 February 1793
From Richard Morris
New York Feby 19th 1793
Sir
With the greatest Respect I take the Lyberty to inform you that on the Eighteenth of the Next month I shall perfect a year as Supervisor of the District of New York, and to Assure you I have the most gratefull Sence of the favour done me in Calling me to that Appointment (when I had not only been Neglected but Ungratefully treated by my own State) yet Sir the Emoluments Appointed to that Office tho Amply Sufficient at first View, After the deductions to pay Necessary Clerks, Office Keeper and Stamper of Certificates, Office Rent, fuel & &. leaves a Recompence Altogether unequal to the trouble, and Attendance, without any Recompence, for the Responsibility or for the Neglect, of my farm, and Mills, in the Country1—from this Consideration only, I am induced to Resign the Office, and to begg Such Arrangements may be taken, that I may on the first of April next which is a Quarter day deliver over to my Successor the Books & &: pertaining to the Office.2
I take the lyberty to send Inclosed, a State of my Receipts, and Expenditures Officially, for the two first Quarters I was Employd, to Enable you, to Judge of the Suffcy of the Recompence.3 I am Sir—with the Greatest Deference and Respect your Most Obedient Humble Servant
Rid Morris
ALS, DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters.
1. For GW’s appointment of Morris as supervisor of the revenue for the district of New York, see GW to U.S. Senate, 6 Mar. 1792 (third letter).
2. Office seekers began writing to GW soon after Morris’s resignation (Henry Dufouer to GW, 7 Mar., Mordecai Hale to GW, 22 April, Abraham Lott to GW, 15 July 1793). However, GW sought to replace Morris with John Armstrong, Jr. (Tobias Lear to GW, 8 April, Alexander Hamilton and Armstrong to Tobias Lear, 23 April, n.2). When Armstrong declined, GW nominated Nicholas Fish (GW to U.S. Senate, 27 Dec).
3. The enclosed statement of receipts and expenditures, covering the period between 30 Mar. and 30 Sept. 1792, reads:
“Statement of the Salary Emoluments and Expenditures of Richard Morris Supervisor of the Revinue for the District of New York for the Quarter Ending June 30th 1792.
| 3 Months Salary at 900 Dollrs pr Annm | 225 | ||
| Coms on 88[.]27 Ds 88 Cs being the Amount of Duty Arising on Spiritts Distilled in that Quarr | 88 27 | ||
| 313 27 | |||
| Expenditures | |||
| 2 Clerks at 400 pr Annr | 200 | ||
| Stampr of Certifics & Office Keeper at 250 | 62 50 | ||
| Office Rent and Fuel | 30 0 | ||
| 292 50 | |||
| Remains for Supervisor 20 77 | |||
“Statement of the Salary Emoluments and Expenditures of Richard Morris Supervisor of the Revenue for the district of New York for the Quarter Ending 30th September 1792.
| 3 Months Salary at 900 Dollars pr Ann | 225 | ||
| Comns on 106[.]73 Ds 31 C. being the Amount of Duties Arising on Spirits Distilled in that Quarter | 106 73 | ||
| Signing 4900 Geneva Certifs at 2½ Cents | 122 50 | ||
| 454 23 | |||
| Expenditures | |||
| 2 Clerks 3 Months Each at 400 pr Annm | 200 | ||
| Certificate Stamper & Office Keeper at 250 | 62 50 | ||
| Office Rent fuel | 30 0 | 292 50 | |
| Remains to Supervisor 161 73 | |||
(DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters).