To Thomas Jefferson from George Taylor, Jr., 24 October 1803
From George Taylor, Jr.
Philadelphia, Octr: 24th: 1803.
Dear Sir,
Permit me, on the present occasion to incroach upon your time for a few moments merely by bringing to your view that a vacancy has taken place in the Post office Department by the death of Colonel Bauman at N. York and that if consistent with the arrangements you have made I should be much gratified by the appointment and am with the most perfect respect
Sir, Your most obt. Servant
Geo: Taylor Jr:
RC (DNA: RG 59, LAR); at foot of text: “The President of the United States”; endorsed by TJ as received 27 Oct. and “to be postmaster N.Y.” and so recorded in SJL.
Taylor succeeded Henry Remsen as chief clerk in the State Department in April 1792, a position he retained for the remainder of TJ’s tenure as secretary of state. He was dismissed by Timothy Pickering in 1798 (Vol. 17:358n; Vol. 27:635-6). For his subsequent career as a broker in Philadelphia, see Vol. 36:114-15.
New York City postmaster Sebastian bauman died on 19 Oct. “after an illness of several weeks.” In January 1804, Theodorus Bailey submitted his resignation as senator of New York to accept the appointment (New York Morning Chronicle, 20 Oct. 1803; ; , 184; Vol. 29:403-4; Vol. 37:399n).
On 23 Oct., Francis Bailey, a former Pennsylvania newspaper editor and state printer, wrote Madison recommending Philip Freneau for the position. He noted: “I know of no man in the United-States, who would fill that office, with more ability, or greater integrity” (RC in DNA: RG 59, LAR, endorsed by TJ: “Freneau Philip to be P.M. N. York”; Madison, Papers, Sec. of State Ser., 5:570; , 2:1372).