To John Jay from Peter Augustus Jay, 11 December 1800
From Peter Augustus Jay
New York 11th. Decr. 1800
Dear Papa
I have this Afternoon recd your Letter of the 8th.1 containing the very unpleasant Intelligence of Mama’s Illness— Her former Indispositions had not given me much immediate uneasiness as I supposed them to proceed merely from Debility & excessive Anxiety or Fatigue— This appears to have been of a much more serious Nature tho probably produced by the same Causes—The favorable Symptoms you mention & the Opinion of Dr Stringer2 greatly allay my fears & afford good ground to expect a favorable Issue— but I shall wait with Impatience for your next Letter. I hope that for a considerable time at least Mama will not trust too much to an apparent return of Strength or expose herself to the smallest Fatigue—3
I saw Yesterday the Man with whom Uncle Augustus lately lodged— He removed about three weeks ago to another house about a Mile from Sir James’s—4 His Health is as good as usual— The weather prevented me from going there to day as I intended—
An unusual quantity of Chancery Business has kept me severely occupied since my Return from Albany. Since that time I have entered 16 new Causes in the Register— This Business has not yet produced money enough to pay Court Charges but I think I must have earned since I commenced the Partnership at least £150.—
On Monday I must be at Bedford at the County Court— In your Cause against J. J. Roosevelt I have received a Relicta which is a fortunate Circumstance as I find you sent me a Copy & not the original Bond—
Mark & Speyers Creditors are about appointing new Assignees so that I cannot immediately do any thing respecting the Deed; but I believe there will be no great Difficulty in getting the Error rectified & that your Money will be eventually secure—5
Mr Malcom6 as you Know is very desirous of the Commission of Notary—The Death of Mr Adams7 makes a Vancancy & a letter forwhich (I am told) Mr Wolcot has written either to you or the Collector will probably remove the Difficulties which have opposed his Appointment— In case he succeeds he intends to resign the Place of Examiner in Chancery; & he informs me that Mr Sands8 a Member of the Council will nominate me to succeed him—Mr Sands with whom I am not acquainted is doubtless induced to this by Malcom who is his Relation & for whom he is much interested— Tho I really believe that Malcom is influenced by much Friendship for me, yet it is not improbable & by others it will not be doubted that one of his Motives is to obtain his own Object with more Facility— And this appears to me a strong Objection to my Appointment. There are also others which arise from Considerations which you have frequently mentioned—
The town was an hour ago disturbed by the Cry of fire—& flames seemed to be bursting from a Cellar window of the Govt. House— Knowing that ^a^ quantity of dry goods were stored in the room from which the fire seemed to issue, I was at first much alarmed. It fortunately proved to be a Barrel only which was burning— it had been placed next the House & hot ashes very carelessly thrown into it— My Love to Mama with the warmest wishes for her speedy Recovery— I am Your very Affectionate Son
Peter Augustus Jay
Govr. Jay
ALS, NNC. (EJ: 06099). Addressed: “His Excellency / Governor Jay / Albany”. Marked: “17”. Endorsed: “P.A. Jay / 11 Dec / ansd. 18 Dec / Mark deed”. For JJ’s reply, see his letter of 18 Dec., below.
2. Samuel Stringer (1734–1817), prominent Albany physician.
3. In his letter of 8 Dec., JJ provided a lengthy account of SLJ’s illness, noting, “Last Friday night your Mother was taken very ill, and was in some degree delirious— Dr Stringer was immediately set sent for— He considered her Complaint as being a strong nervous affection, caused by ^the^ Debility & exhausted Spirits which care and too little leisure sometimes produce— and he treated it accordingly by giving her spiced wine &c. &c.— Her Speech being affected, but he was not of this opinion— saying that all the Symptoms were explicable in the former Principles— that there was no appearance of Danger, tho’ he thought her Recovery would require some time— She continued much indisposed thro’ Saturday, and at Intervals & a little delirious— She passed Saturday night better than was expected—was very composed and had some good quiet Sleep— Yesterday morning she was much better— there has since been no appearance of Delirium— She has nearly recovered her speech, and the use of her right Hand—so that at present her Prospects of Recovery are fair—”. JJ to PAJ, 8 Dec., ALS, NNC (EJ: 11453).
4. JJ’s older brother, Sir James Jay.
5. Jacob Mark (d. 1826) and his nephew John Speyer (d. 1816) formed the mercantile firm of Mark & Speyer in New York City. The partners declared bankruptcy in July 1800. Whereas Mark and Speyer still owed money to creditors, they did manage to pay off James Jacobus Roosevelt (1759–1840), who had lent them funds and endorsed their notes. See Daily Advertiser (New York), 19 July 1800; PAJ to JJ, 19 July 1800, Dft, NNC (EJ: 09973); and William Johnson, Adjudged in the Court of Chancery of New-York. vol. 3 Containing the Cases from October, 1817, to December 1818, Inclusive (Albany, 1819), 446–48.
6. Samuel B. Malcom (1776–1815) was appointed as an examiner in the Court of Chancery in early 1800. The following year he was appointed as a public notary for New York. JJ had recommended Malcom for a notary position in 1799. Daily Advertiser (New York), 25 Jan. 1800; Albany Gazette, 26 Jan. 1801; JJ to AH, 23 Apr. 1799, Dft, NNC (EJ: 05650); PAH, 23: 62.
7. Charles Adams (1770–1800), the second son of JA, practiced law in New York city and served as a public notary from 1794 to 1800.
8. Probably either Comfort Sands or Joshua Sands.