Of the various executive duties, no one excites more anxious concern than that of placing the interests of our fellow-citizens in the hands of honest men, with understandings sufficient for their stations.  No duty, at the same time, is more difficult to fulfil.  The knowledge of characters possessed by a single individual is, of necessity, limited.  To seek out the best through the whole Union, we must resort to other information, which from the best of men, acting disinterestedly and with the purest motives, is sometimes incorrect.  In the case of Samuel Bishop, however, the subject of your remonstrance, time was taken, information was sought, and such obtained as could leave no room for doubt of his fitness.  From private sources it was learned that his understanding was sound, his integrity pure, his character unstained.  And the offices, 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.