To Alexander Hamilton from Richard Bland Lee, 6 March 1794
From Richard Bland Lee1
Philadelphia March 6. 1794
Sir,
Having received a letter from Mr. Francis Corbin2 a gentleman with whom you, I beleive, are acqauinted, requesting that Mr. George Turner may be mentioned as a candidate for the Collectorship of Rappahannock3—I lose no time in informing you thereof. I have always heard a good character of Mr. Turner—particulerly as an attentive, punctual, & intelligent agent in all pecuniary affairs, with which he has been intrusted. Mr. Corbin informs me that all his family, who are very wealthy, will be responsible for his ability & fidelity in the execution of the office should he be appointed.
With great respect I am Sir Yr. Obt. Sert.
R B Lee
ALS, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress.
1. Lee was a member of the House of Representatives from Virginia from 1789 to 1795.
2. Corbin had served as a member of the Virginia Assembly in 1787 from Middlesex County. On February 20, 1794, in a letter to George Washington, Corbin recommended George Turner, whose thirty years of service to the Corbin family seemed to Corbin to demonstrate that he was qualified to serve as collector of customs at Tappahannock (ALS, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress).
3. On March 6, 1794, Lawrence Muse replaced his brother, Hudson Muse, as collector for the District of Tappahannock and inspector for the port of Tappahannock on the Rappahannock River (, 149). See also H to Washington, February 10, 1794.