s, confided to him within his own State, are public
evidences of the estimation in which he is held by the State in general,
and the city and township particularly in which he lives. He is said
to be the town clerk, a justice of the peace, mayor of the city of New
Haven, an office held at the will of the legislature, chief judge of the
court of common pleas for New Haven county, a court of high criminal and
civil jurisdiction, wherein most causes are decided without the right
of appeal or review, and sole judge of the court of probate, wherein he
singly decides all questions of wills, settlement of estates, testate
and intestate, appoints guardians, settles their accounts, and in fact
has under his jurisdiction and care all the property, real and personal,
of persons dying. The two last offices, in the annual gift of the
legislature, were given to him in May last. Is it possible that the man
to whom the legislature of Connecticut has so recently committed trusts
of such difficulty and magnitude, is 'unfit to be the collector of the
district of New Haven,' though acknowledged in the same writing, to
have obtained all this confidence 'by a long life of usefulness?' It is
objected, indeed, in the remonstrance, that he is seventy-seven years of
age; but at a much more advanced age, our Franklin was the ornament of
human nature. He may not be able to perform in person, all the details
of his office; but if he gives us the benefit of his understanding, his
integrity, his watchfulness, and takes care that all the details are
well performed by himself or his necessary assistants, all public
purposes will be answered. The remonstrance, indeed, does not allege
that the office has been illy conducted, but only apprehends that it
will be so. Should this happen in event, be assured I will do in it what
shall be just and necessary for the public service. In the mean time, he
should be tried without being prejudged.

The removal, as it is called, of Mr. Goodrich, forms another subject
of complaint. Declarations by myself in favor of political tolerance,
exhortations to harmony and affection in social intercourse, and
to respect for the equal rights of the minority, have, on certain
occasions, been quoted and misconstrued into assurances that the
tenure of offices was to be undisturbed. But could candor apply such a
construction? It is not indeed in the remonstrance that we find it;
but it leads to the explanations which that calls for.