John Jay Papers
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To John Jay from Tench Coxe, 8 November 1794

From Tench Coxe

[Philadelphia Novr 8 1794]

Dear Sir,

I have the honor to send you by way of letter a recent publication, which contains among other matter some of my ideas on the present state of our public affairs. If you can find time for a perusal of the work or even of all the text that follows the 379th. page, and an inspection of the documents inserted in that part of the work, so far as you have not seen them, or the text, it may be of some use.1 The 16th Chapter of the 1st. Book,2 and the 9th. Chapter of the 2d Book3 are the most interesting. Some of the notes on the reply to Ld. Sheffield are interesting.—

I can assure you Sir, with the utmost pleasure and with truth, that the insurgency in the Western parts of Pennsylvania is crushed— Those people had trifled with the Government of Pennsy[lvani]a. in the times of the Province and in the times of the commonwealth— They will never trifle again with this Government. The operation has been expensive, but the incidental & immediate advantages of it fully compensate us. The confidence of our own people & of impartial foreigners now here is prodigiously increased—4 You will see the remarks I have made upon it in the 508th—& 509th pages.

The Revenues of 1792 & 1793 have proved to be 5,400,000 dollars, and 7,150,000 Dollars.—

The astonishing demand for our produce and abundance of Money have raised flour to eight dollars per bble—.

Our public funds and bank stocks are very saleable, and at favorable prices. There is no appearance of declension—but the reverse.

Be pleased to inspect the comparative view of the taxables of Pennsylvania on page 481 which contains a precise exhibition upon the subject of our population in the middle States.

The reflexions on the state of the Union were written for the special purpose of convincing those in the Southern states, who complain of the operations of the Government, and who entertain fears about the balance of trade &c. that they are really mistaken.— Our Imports are now vastly beyond what they appear to have been in the Ch. 12. book 1.5

A distinct view of the Encouragement to Manufactures resulting from our impost, is given in Ch: 3 book 2.—6 I recommend, Sir, to your most particular attention the view of our fisheries given in page 345 as relative to our capacity to injure the trade of those who may unnecessarily make War upon us.

Being very much engaged, I have only time to add that I have the honor to be with great respect.—7 Sir, Your most Obedient Servant

Tench Coxe

ALS, NNC (EJ: 09823). Endorsed: “Recd 11 Decr. 1794 by Mr / Bayard / … and.18 Dec. 1794”. Enclosure: A view of the United States of America, in a series of papers, written at various times, between the years 1787 and 1794, by Tench Coxe, of Philadelphia; interspersed with authentic documents: the whole tending to exhibit the progress and present state of civil and religious liberty, population, agriculture, exports, imports, fisheries, navigation, ship-building, manufactures, and general improvement. (Philadelphia, 1794; Early Am. Imprints description begins Early American Imprints, series 1: Evans, 1639–1800 [microform; digital collection], edited by American Antiquarian Society, published by Readex, a division of News-bank, Inc. Accessed: Columbia University, New York, N.Y., 2006–19, http://infoweb.newsbank.com/ Early American Imprints, series 2: Shaw-Shoemaker, 1801–1819 [microform; digital collection], edited by American Antiquarian Society, published by Readex, a division of Newsbank, Inc. Accessed: Columbia University, New York, N.Y., 2006–19, http://infoweb.newsbank.com/ description ends , series 1, no. 26829). C, PHi: Coxe. By the time JJ received Coxe’s material, he had already signed the treaty with Great Britain.

1. For the reply, see JJ to Coxe, 18 Dec. 1794, ALS, PHi: Coxe; Dft, NNC (EJ: 09819); WJ description begins William Jay, ed., The Life of John Jay: With Selections from His Correspondence and Miscellaneous Papers (2 vols.; New York, 1833) description ends , 2: 240–41; HPJ description begins Henry P. Johnston, ed., The Correspondence and Public Papers of John Jay (4 vols.; New York, 1890–93) description ends , 4: 152–53.

2. This chapter is titled “Containing a summary statement of the principal facts, which characterize the American people, and their country or territory, in 1793”.

3. This chapter is titled “Miscellaneous reflections upon certain important facts and considerations, which occur, at this time, in the affairs of the United States; intended as a conclusion to this collection”.

4. In his reply to Coxe, JJ asserted “The manner in which the Insurrection has been dissipated, gives me pleasure; and there is Reason to hope that the Arts and Counsels which produced it, will not be able to operate such another—”. JJ to Coxe, 18 Dec. 1794, citation in note 1, above.

The insurgency in western Pennsylvania stemmed from an excise on distilled spirits promoted by AH and enacted into law in 1791. A presidential proclamation issued by GW on 15 Sept. 1792 failed to quell the protests against the “whiskey tax,” and matters came to a head in the summer of 1794 with an armed clash between protesters and federal troops south of Pittsburgh. GW adopted a dual approach to the crisis, appointing commissioners to meet with the rebels while also issuing a proclamation on 7 Aug. 1794 that called for the mobilization of the militia. The insurrection soon collapsed following a military expedition into the troubled region. For JJ’s views of the earlier stages of the protest, see the editorial note “John Jay’s Moderate Response to the Whiskey Rebellion,” JJSP description begins Elizabeth M. Nuxoll et al., eds., The Selected Papers of John Jay (6 vols. to date; Charlottesville, Va., 2010–) description ends , 5: 447–49.

While in London, JJ regularly received reports of the events in western Pennsylvania from ER. GW also contacted JJ about the Whiskey Rebellion, commenting that “self-created Societies” were responsible for fomenting dissent against the national government and that other nations approved that his administration had suppressed the uprising. JJ shared these sentiments, assuring GW that the British government looked favorably on the outcome; “their confidence in your Wisdom Decision and Energy has been confirmed by the Event.” ER to JJ, 11 Aug. 1794, C, DNA:Jay Despatches, 1794–95 (EJ: 04304); C, NHi: King (EJ: 04436); Duplicate, NHi: Jay (EJ: 00606); 18 Aug. 1794, C, DNA: Jay Despatches, 1794–95 (EJ: 04306); C, NHi: King (EJ: 04438); 30 Aug. 1794, C, DNA: Jay Despatches, 1794–95 (EJ: 04309); C, NHi: King (EJ: 04441); C, marked “Duplicate”, NHi: Jay (EJ: 00611); 12 Sept. 1794, C, DNA: Jay Despatches, 1794–95 (EJ: 04310); C, NHi: King (EJ: 04443); C, marked “Duplicate”, NHi: Jay (EJ: 00608); 15 Sept. 1794, C, DNA: Jay Despatches, 1794–95 (EJ: 04321); 17 Sept. 1794, C, DNA: Jay Despatches, 1794–95 (EJ: 04323); C, NHi: King (EJ: 04453); C, marked “Duplicate”, NHi: Jay (EJ: 00609); 20 Oct. 1794, C, DNA: Jay Despatches, 1794–95 (EJ: 04327); C, NHi: King (EJ: 04458); C, marked “Duplicate”, NHi: Jay (EJ: 00610); GW to JJ, 1[–4] Nov. 1794, ALS, NNC (EJ: 07256); DftS, DLC: Washington (EJ: 10637); LbkC, DLC: Washington; C (extract), NHi: O’Reilly (EJ: 00688); HPJ description begins Henry P. Johnston, ed., The Correspondence and Public Papers of John Jay (4 vols.; New York, 1890–93) description ends , 4: 128–32; WJ description begins William Jay, ed., The Life of John Jay: With Selections from His Correspondence and Miscellaneous Papers (2 vols.; New York, 1833) description ends , 2: 231–35; PGW: PS description begins Dorothy Twohig et al., eds., The Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series (19 vols. to date; Charlottesville, Va., 1987–) description ends , 17: 125–29; GW to JJ, 18 Dec. 1794, ALS, NNC (EJ: 07257); DftS, DLC: Washington (EJ: 10639); LbkC, DLC: Washington (EJ: 12656); HPJ description begins Henry P. Johnston, ed., The Correspondence and Public Papers of John Jay (4 vols.; New York, 1890–93) description ends , 4: 150–52, WJ description begins William Jay, ed., The Life of John Jay: With Selections from His Correspondence and Miscellaneous Papers (2 vols.; New York, 1833) description ends , 2: 238–40; PGW: PS description begins Dorothy Twohig et al., eds., The Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series (19 vols. to date; Charlottesville, Va., 1987–) description ends , 17: 286–89; JJ to GW, 25 Feb. 1795, ALS, DLC: Washington (EJ: 10642); Dft, NNC (EJ: 08455); C (extract), NHi: O’Reilly (EJ: 00691); HPJ description begins Henry P. Johnston, ed., The Correspondence and Public Papers of John Jay (4 vols.; New York, 1890–93) description ends , 4: 160–62; WJ, 2: 243–45; PGW: PS description begins Dorothy Twohig et al., eds., The Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series (19 vols. to date; Charlottesville, Va., 1987–) description ends , 17: 577–80.

5. This chapter is titled “Abstract of goods, wares and merchandize, exported from each of the United States of America, (with the aggregate of the whole) from the 1st October, 1791, to 30th September, 1792, being one year”.

6. This chapter is titled “Containing the tariff of the United States, for the information of merchants and manufacturers”.

7. In his reply, JJ contended, “Our Affairs relative to this County have a promising aspect— The best Disposition towards us prevails here, and Indications & Proofs of it daily increase. I do really believe that this Govt. mean to give conciliatory measures with the U. S. a full and fair Tryal— it never can be wise to cast ourselves into the Arms and Influence of any nation but certainly it is wise and proper to cherish the good will of those who wish to be on Terms of Friendship and Cordiality with us. It may seem strange, and yet I am convinced, that next to the King, our President is more popular in this County than any Man in it—.” JJ to Coxe, 18 Dec. 1794, ALS, PHi: Coxe; Dft, NNC (EJ: 09819); WJ description begins William Jay, ed., The Life of John Jay: With Selections from His Correspondence and Miscellaneous Papers (2 vols.; New York, 1833) description ends , 2: 241; HPJ description begins Henry P. Johnston, ed., The Correspondence and Public Papers of John Jay (4 vols.; New York, 1890–93) description ends , 4: 152–53.

Coxe was convinced the data he supplied JJ conclusively demonstrated that the U.S., Britain’s best customer and natural commercial ally, was in a strong bargaining position, and he had high hopes for the Jay Treaty. When details of the treaty arrived, he wrote four lengthy articles excoriating it under the pseudonym “Juriscola.” He condemned the restrictions imposed on trade with the West Indies by Art. 12 of the treaty, and adopted southern arguments that failure to win compensation for slaves removed by the British during the war left the South unable to repay prewar debts to British merchants. Coxe, alienated by AH’s failure to designate him acting secretary of the treasury while AH was on military duty during the Whiskey Rebellion, and holding Anglophobic foreign policy views more closely aligned with TJ than with AH, soon switched allegiance to the Republican party. Jacob E. Cooke, Tench Coxe and the Early Republic (Chapel Hill, N.C., and Williamsburg, Va., 1978), 274–79.

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    Jay Papers
    Title
    To John Jay from Tench Coxe, 8 November 1794
    Author
    Coxe, Tench
    Recipient
    Jay, John
    Date
    8 November 1794

    Reference

    Cite as
    “To John Jay from Tench Coxe, 8 November 1794,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jay/01-06-02-0080. [Original source: The Selected Papers of John Jay, vol. 6, 1794–1798, ed. Elizabeth M. Nuxoll. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2020, pp. 196–199.]

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