| Correspondence on various topics relating to Dr. Dennis Claude of Annapolis (see inventory for subject and content description) Dr. Dennis Claude (c. 1782-1863) served the state of Maryland in a number of capacities throughout the middle third of the nineteenth century (Senate, 1821-1825 and 1831-1836; Treasurer of the Western Shore, 1844-1852; State Treasurer from 1854-1860).
Claude was appointed by Governor Thomas Hicks to become Comptroller in 1861 upon the resignation of William Henry Purnell, who had been elected to the office in 1859 using questionable means. The Maryland Legislature decreed that Purnell's opponent, Abram Lingan Jarrett, was to become the Comptroller, but Hicks refused to accept this decision. For a few months in 1861, Claude and Jarrett each served as competing Comptrollers before the Legislature passed a law allowing Jarrett to take the oath of office before a Court of Appeals judge. Claude asked for a court injunction, but this was denied, since the court decreed that appointments made by the governor without the consent of the Legislature were only valid until action was taken by the Legislature. |
