1. Earlier this day GW’s secretary, Bartholomew Dandridge, Jr., wrote Tench Francis: “I am directed by The President of the U.S to inform you that an act has been passed by Congress, entitled ‘an act to establish the office of Purveyor of public supplies.’ in consequence of which it is necessary that a person shou’d be immediately appointed to fill this office. The salary annexed is 2000 dollars per annum, & the Officer is confined by certain restrictions, which will be better understood by perusing the act itself at the Secy of State’s office. The President wishes to know, sir, whether it would be agreeable to you to accept this Office under the conditions of the said act. As the President wou’d wish to submit the nomination of a person for this office ⟨with⟩ others, to the Senate this day, your immediate answer is requested.” Francis wrote back to Dandridge that he had perused the act, and in his opinion “the restrictions it contains does in no one point clash with my present engagements or future Views.” If appointed, he would accept the position (both DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters).

For the act, passed on 23 Feb., see 1 Stat. description begins Richard Peters, ed. The Public Statutes at Large of the United States of America, from the Organization of the Government in 1789, to March 3, 1845 . . .. 8 vols. Boston, 1845-67. description ends 419.

2. John Overton (1766–1833) retained this post until 1804, when he became a judge of the Tennessee superior court. He is best known as a political advisor to Andrew Jackson.

3. John Frothingham (1749–1826), a graduate of Harvard College, was a lawyer and a trustee of Bowdoin College who represented Cumberland County in the Massachusetts legislature in 1794. He left this customs post by December 1800, and he later served as a judge of the court of common pleas.

4. Constant Somers (1763–1797) was a storekeeper and justice of the peace prior to his appointment. He remained collector until his death. On 3 March, GW nominated Somers to be inspector of the revenue at Great Egg Harbor, replacing Benezet in that post as well. The Senate approved that nomination the same day (LS, DNA: RG 46, entry 38; LB, DLC:GW; Senate Executive Journal description begins Journal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate of the United States of America: From the commencement of the First, to the termination of the Nineteenth Congress. Vol. 1. Washington, D.C., 1828. description ends , 176). Benezet was removed as collector because he neglected to make returns to the Treasury Department (Oliver Wolcott, Jr., to Alexander Hamilton, 24 June 1794, Hamilton Papers description begins Harold C. Syrett et al., eds. The Papers of Alexander Hamilton. 27 vols. New York, 1961–87. description ends , 16:523).