Washington, July 12, 1801.
Gentlemen,
I have received the remonstrance you were pleased to address to me,
on the appointment of Samuel Bishop to the office of Collector of New
Haven, lately vacated by the death of David Austin. The right of our
fellow-citizens to represent to the public functionaries their opinion
on proceedings interesting to them, is unquestionably a constitutional
right, often useful, sometimes necessary, and will always be
respectfully acknowledged by me.
Of the various executive duties, no one excites more anxious concern
than that of placing the interests of our fellow-citizens in the hands
of honest men, with understandings sufficient for their stations. No
duty, at the same time, is more difficult to fulfil. The knowledge of
characters possessed by a single individual is, of necessity, limited.
To seek out the best through the whole Union, we must resort to other
information, which from the best of men, acting disinterestedly and
with the purest motives, is sometimes incorrect. In the case of Samuel
Bishop, however, the subject of your remonstrance, time was taken,
information was sought, and such obtained as could leave no room for
doubt of his fitness. From private sources it was learned that his
understanding was sound, his integrity pure, his character unstained.
Pages:
799
800
801
802
803
804
805
806
807
808
809
810
811
812
813
814
815
816
817
818
819
820
821
822
823