To James Madison from Michael Baldwin, 9 October 1804 (Abstract)
§ From Michael Baldwin
9 October 1804, Chillicothe. “In consequence of my being a Candidate for the assembly of this State for the county of Ross, the constitution of the state of Ohio compels me to resign the Office of Attorney for the District of Ohio.1
“Be pleased Sir to return my sincere thanks to the President of the United States, for the honor conferred upon me by bestowing me the appointment without any solicitations on my part. A considerable bu[s]iness for the District Attorney is now depending in the Court, which will render an appointment immediately necessary. Should my recommendation of a Successor have any influence with the Executive, I should cheerfully propose William Creighton Junr. to be my Successor.2 He is a young Gentleman of talents & integrity & eminent in his profession. He has resided here for Six years past.”
RC (DNA: RG 59, LRD). 2 pp.; docketed by Jefferson.
1. Michael Baldwin, who had been one of the leaders in the fight for Ohio statehood, was appointed district attorney for Ohio in March 1803. In 1805 he was appointed federal marshal for the district of Ohio but was replaced, following the Burr crisis in 1806, for inefficiency in office, probably due to the alcoholism to which he later succumbed (, 1:447, 2:8; William T. Utter, The Frontier State, 1803–1825, vol. 2 of The History of the State of Ohio, ed. Carl Wittke [Columbus, Ohio, 1942], 76).
2. William Creighton Jr. (1778–1851) was named district attorney for Ohio on 12 Dec. 1804. He was Ohio secretary of state, 1803–8, and served as Ohio representative in Congress, 1813–17, 1827–28, and 1829–33 (, 1:476, 477).