1809 Petition by Citizens of LA-MO Territory suggesting Judge John Coburn as appointee for Governor to replace the late Governor Lewis. 3 Nov 1809 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free Information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Files may be printed or copied for Personal use only. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Submitted by: Jerry Morrison Email: LWM@genesisnetwork.net ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From the books "Territorial Papers - Louisiana-Missouri Territory" 1806-1814, Volume XIV pages 339-342 ACTING GOVERNOR BATES TO THE PRESIDENT Secretary's Office SAINT LOUIS November 23rd 1809.- TO HIS EXCELLENCY JAMES MADISON President of the United States SIR, At the request of the friends of Judge Coburn I take the liberty of enclosing an address on the subject of appointment to the Executive Office of this territory.- The additions to the subscribers' names, truly indicate their several offices and professions.- I have the honor to be, very respectfully, sir, Your most obedient Servant FREDRICK BATES [Endorsed] Bates Frederick November 23rd 1809 Book Note: See Bates to Nathaniel Pope, Secretary of Illinois Territory, Oct. 24, 1809 (Marshall, ed., Bates Papers, II, 100-101), stating that Lewis's term as Governor would expire in February or March, 1810 (Bates did not then know of Lewis's death), and that he could scarcely expect a second nomination in view of the character of his administration; Bates therefore solicits Pope's support in behalf of Judge Coburn. Apparently Pope declined because of personal animosities. See Bates to Pope, Mar. 10, 1809 (ibid,. p. 113), in which Pope is excused from such support. Bates's own attitude respecting Lewis is disclosed in private letters to his brother, Richard Bates, Apr. 15, July 14, and Nov. 9, 1809, and to James Abbott, of Detroit, July 25, 1809 (ibid., pp. 64, 67-73, 75, 108-112), by which it appears the two officials were speaking terms only in the presence of the public and on matters of business. We have, only Bates's version of their relations. [Enclosure: DS] Recommendation from Citizens of the Territory [November 3, 1809] HIS EXCELLENCY JAMES MADISON, President of the United States. SIR, The undersigned, inhabitants of the Territory of Louisiana, beg leave to address you on a subject, very intimately connected with their Prosperity and Happiness. We have just heard of the melancholy and premature death of our late Governor, Mr. Lewis.-The appointment of a Successor cannot fail to excite a deep degree of Interest and Solicitude; and although we claim no constitutional rights to interfere in the Appointment, the known benevolence of your Character inspires us with a Confidence in submitting to you our Wishes.-It is not for a Stranger that we are about to solicit this high and responsible Trust-Judge Coburn is already known to you from his having enjoyed the Confidence of the Administration and the Favor of the People for some years past. In discharge of his judicial duties in our Territory, he has merited and acquired, the approbation of all descriptions of people.- His frank, open and conciliatory deportment have rendered him universally acceptable, and we entertain no doubt, that his Appointment to the chief Executive Office would be gratifying to a great Majority of the People of Louisiana. Your Excellency, we know, possesses a wide field from whence to make your selection, and better knows than we, the appropriate fitness of particular characters.-All we presume to ask is, that our Wishes may meet an indulgent Consideration. With every sentiment of personal and political Respect, We have the Honor to be Your Excellency's Obedient Servants. SAINT LOUIS 3rd November 1809 Transcribers Note: The numbers preceding the name is the number of the signature within the section where it appears. The Sections weren't identified on the article but by researching the names on other lists, I was able to identify the location of the section. I just hope the persons used to identify the area, had not moved. Signatures (94) 7 William O. Allen Section 1, St Louis Co., Attorney 15 James H. Audrain Section 1, St Louis Co., 6 Daniel Baldridge Section 3, St Charles Co., 1 James Baldridge Section 3, St Charles Co., 13 Robert Baldridge, Jr Section 3, St Charles Co., 5 Robert Baldridge, Sr Section 3, St Charles Co., 35 F. M. Benoit Section 1, St Louis Co., 27 L. Brazeaux Section 1, St Louis Co., 12 John Burget, Jr Section 3, St Charles Co., 9 James Callaway Section 2, St Charles Co., 34 H. Capron Section 1, St Louis Co., 2 William C. Carr Section 1, St Louis Co., Attorney 28 Joseph Charless Section 1, St Louis Co., Printer 14 L. Chauvin Section 2, St Charles Co., 9 W. Christy Section 1, St Louis Co., Major-Militia 2 William Christy, Jr Section 2, St Charles Co., Clerk St Charles Co. 22 J Clamorgan Section 1, St Louis Co., 4 Daniel Colgan Section 2, St Charles Co., 16 John G. Comegys Section 1, St Louis Co., Merchant 17 Jeremiah Conner Section 1, St Louis Co., Sheriff 21 James Coonrod Section 3, St Charles Co., 33 John Coons Section 1, St Louis Co., 4 Lewis Crow Section 3, St Charles Co., 30 William Crow Section 3, St Charles Co., 32 Michael Crowe Section 3, St Charles Co., 18 George Dale, Jr Section 1, St Louis Co., Merchant 31 Abraham Darst Section 3, St Charles Co., 20 Peter Didier Section 1, St Louis Co., Treasurer-Territory 13 R. Dufréne Section 2, St Charles Co., 23 Rufus Easton Section 1, St Louis Co., Attorney 16 B. G. Farrar Section 2, St Charles Co., 7 James Flauherty Section 2, St Charles Co., Judge 13 J. V. Garnier Section 1, St Louis Co., Clerk General Court 12 Warner Gilbert Section 2, St Charles Co., 37 Michael Hankey Section 3, St Charles Co., 16 George Harroll Section 3, St Charles Co., 15 John Harvy Section 2, St Charles Co., 24 John T. Heath Section 3, St Charles Co., 3 E. Hempstead Section 1, St Louis Co., Attorney 15 George Hooffman, Sr Section 3, St Charles Co., 29 Newton Howell Section 3, St Charles Co., 2 Thomas Howell Section 3, St Charles Co., 14 Wilson P. Hunt Section 1, St Louis Co., Merchant 10 Benjamin Johnston Section 1, St Louis Co., Justice of the Peace 10 Peter Journey Section 2, St Charles Co., 14 James Kerr, Jr Section 3, St Charles Co., 5 Timothy Kibby Section 2, St Charles Co., Judge 7 Joseph Kighley Section 3, St Charles Co., 8 George Kisler Section 3, St Charles Co., 8 L. Labeaume Section 1, St Louis Co., Judge 38 Bernard Lalendes Section 1, St Louis Co., 36 Patrick Lee Section 1, St Louis Co., 38 John McMurray Section 3, St Charles Co., 3 A. McNair Section 2, St Charles Co., Judge, Court of Common Pleas 8 David McNair Section 2, St Charles Co., 32 John Michaux pere Section 1, St Louis Co., 26 Thomas Oden Section 3, St Charles Co., 30 G. Paul Section 1, St Louis Co., Merchant 1 Clement B. Penrose Section 1, St Louis Co., 24 Jacob Philipson Section 1, St Louis Co., 4 Joseph Philipson Section 1, St Louis Co., Merchant 10 Augustine Price Section 3, St Charles Co., 11 Coonrad Price Section 3, St Charles Co., 9 Frederick Price Section 3, St Charles Co., 34 Gorge Price Section 3, St Charles Co., 17 Jacob Price Section 3, St Charles Co., 36 Mikel Price Section 3, St Charles Co., 6 Risdon H. Price Section 1, St Louis Co., Merchant 39 Baker Reynolds Section 3, St Charles Co., 26 Antoine Roy Section 1, St Louis Co., 19 Charles Sanguinet Section 1, St Louis Co., Late Magistrate 29 Gregory Sarpy Section 1, St Louis Co., 21 A. Saugrain Section 1, St Louis Co., Surgeon Mate 6 Benjamin Smith, Jr Section 2, St Charles Co., 22 Abner Snider Section 3, St Charles Co., 37 Samuel Solomon Section 1, St Louis Co., 31 Charles Steuart Section 1, St Louis Co., 11 John Stone Section 2, St Charles Co., 35 William Stuert Section 3, St Charles Co., 19 Barnabas Thornhill Section 3, St Charles Co., 27 Briant Thornhill Section 3, St Charles Co., 25 Reuben Thornhill Section 3, St Charles Co., 5 R. Tillier Section 1, St Louis Co., Late U.S. Factor 25 George Tompkins Section 1, St Louis Co., Teacher of the academy 39 Francois Valois Section 1, St Louis Co., 11 Perly Wallis Section 1, St Louis Co., Attorney 20 John Ward Section 3, St Charles Co., 12 Charles Webster Section 1, St Louis Co., 28 George Weiland Section 3, St Charles Co., 1 Mackay Wherry Section 2, St Charles Co., Sheriff 33 Joseph Yardly Section 3, St Charles Co., 23 Samuel H. T. Young Section 3, St Charles Co., 3 Andrew Zumwalt Section 3, St Charles Co., 18 John Zumwalt Section 3, St Charles Co., [Endorsed] Recommendation from a number of Citizens of Upper Louisiana of John Coburn as Governor Bonum Address.- Book Note: See Bates to Coburn, Nov. 2, 1809 (Marshall, ed., Bates Papers, II, 104-105), stating that people were reluctant to sign the recommendation because they did not wish to appear to be dictating to the President, and that prior to news of Lewis's death they feared to antagonize him by supporting some other candidate. Transcribers Note: Apparently this recommendation and many others from persons acquainted with Judge John Coburn weren't enough to elicit an appointment because he was appointed Judge again in 1811. 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