To Thomas Jefferson from Christopher Ellery, 27 February 1804
From Christopher Ellery
Senate Chamber
27th. Feby. 1804—
Sir
I have not the confidence requisite for the frequency of applications which it seems to become my duty to make to the Executive—Indeed I address the President by letter, rather than in person, merely because I would be as little troublesome as possible—
The inclosed letters, relative to the character & qualifications of Mr. Sterry, came under cover from him to myself, accompanied by one to the Secretary of State; and it is probable that Mr. Sterry himself will visit the seat of government shortly on his way to New Orleans. Should it comport with the public interest to bestow an office upon him, Mr. Sterry, there can be no doubt of his faithfulness & ability—recommended as he is by gentlemen of the first respectability—
The other letter, respecting the Collector at New Bedford, speaks for itself—I have only to observe, in addition, that Mr. Taber has declared, in a letter to myself, that the appointment of Mr. Almy, named in Mr. Hazard’s letter, would be agreeable to the republicans in Newport—With the highest respect.
Christ’r Ellery
RC (DNA: RG 59, LAR); at head of text: “The President of the U. States”; endorsed by TJ as received 27 Feb. and so recorded in SJL with notation “Almy & Sterry”; also endorsed by TJ: “Almy William. to be Collector New Bedford” and “note N. Bedford is in Mass.” Enclosures: (1) Asher Robbins to Ellery, Newport, 16 Dec. 1803, introducing Robert Sterry, who plans to visit Washington on his way to New Orleans “to procure letters of introduction at his destination”; he is “amiable & accomplished,” has been admitted to the bar of Rhode Island, “& bids fair to distinguish himself in the profession” (RC in same; endorsed by TJ: “Sterry Robert emploimt. N.O.”). (2) Arthur Fenner to TJ, 24 Dec. 1803. (3) Nathaniel Hazard to Ellery, Taunton, 9 Feb. 1804; he writes at the pressing request “of some of my, and your friends” and notes that if Edward Pope, collector at New Bedford, is removed, no man is more suitable to fill the vacancy than William Almy of Westport, “a man of respectability, of address, of prudence, of integrity, of sound judgement—very few, if any of our Republican friends, in this quarter, stand higher in point of character,” and his appointment “would give more general satisfaction, and be productive of more advantage to the party”; Hazard concludes, “whatever you can do with the President, either directly or through Mr Bishop, the Representative in Congress from this part of Massachusetts, will be very agreeable to me” (RC in DNA, RG 59, LAR; endorsed by TJ: “Almy Wm. to be Collectr New Bedford v. Pope”).
For earlier calls to remove Edward Pope as collector at new bedford, see Vol. 41:421-3. In a letter to Massachusetts congressman Phanuel Bishop dated Raynham, 18 Jan. 1804, Josiah Dean recommended Isaiah Weston for the post. Besides being a man of character and ability, Weston was also “steady and firm in his political Sentiments” (RC in DNA: RG 59, LAR; endorsed by TJ: “Weston Isaiah. to be Collectr. New Bedford v. Pope. Josiah Dean to mr Bishop. mr B prefers Weston to any candidate”).
Constant taber was navy agent at Newport (, 2:48; , Sec. of State Ser., 8:294n).