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Concerns over Jefferson's decision, with his response...
Concerns over Jefferson's decision, with his response...
Item # 667649
July 28, 1801
NEW ENGLAND PALLADIUM, Boston, July 28, 1801
* President Thomas Jefferson
Page 2 has a "Remonstrance" from the merchants of New Haven on the removal of the tax collector in favor of another. This is followed by: "The President's Reply" which takes over a full column & signed in type: Th. Jefferson.
Four pages, never-trimmed margins, fold foxing, good condition.
history notes: In June 1801, the merchants of New Haven issued a formal remonstrance protesting President Thomas Jefferson’s removal of Elizur Goodrich as Collector of Customs and his replacement with Samuel Bishop, citing concerns over Bishop’s advanced age, frailty, and perceived incapacity to perform the demanding duties of the office. They praised Goodrich’s administration as efficient, honest, and indispensable to the mercantile community, while warning that Bishop—nearly 78 years old—was physically and mentally unfit for the role, suggesting his controversial son, Abraham Bishop, might secretly manage the office instead. The merchants, representing the vast majority of New Haven’s shipping interests, implored Jefferson to reconsider what they viewed as a politically motivated and potentially damaging appointment. In his response, Jefferson defended the decision as a necessary correction of partisan imbalance, asserting the right of the new Republican majority to appoint loyal public servants, and upheld Bishop’s reputation, citing his many civic roles and personal integrity. While acknowledging concerns about Bishop’s age, Jefferson argued that wisdom and oversight mattered more than physical vigor, and he promised to monitor the situation and act if the office were mismanaged.
Category: Pre-Civil War
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