I have rec d . your Letter of the 21 Oct r ., with your Proposals for to publish by Subscription “the History of the origin and first Ten Years of the British and foreign Bible Society—[”] agreable to your Request, they shall be laid before ^communicated to^ our Society at their next ensuing annual meeting, when it will be [?]in May next— They will ^probably^ [ illegible ] ^are not^ authorized...
2From John Jay to John Clarkson Jay, 25 February 1817 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter and am pleased to find it written as well as it is. A late Letter from your Papa informed me of your Sickness and Recovery— Remember Him by whose kind Providence your Life has been preserved— and be thankful— From your translating Latin into English, I conclude that you have paid proper Attention to the latin Grammar— endeavour to learn it perfectly. Your being...
3From John Jay to Maria Jay Banyer, 23[–24] April 1810 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 17 Inst:— The Cold you mention has gone off; and I am again much as I have been throughout the Winter— I rejoice that your Health has mended, and that Sally was well. It will give you Pleasure to be informed that on the 17 Inst. Mary was delivered of a Daughter, & that they were both doing will. That Peter should be nominated for Congress, is an agreable...
4From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 16 October 1815 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of this morning, informing me of the Death of S r . James. This event excites Feelings & Reflections too natural not to be obvious. The Temper respecting me, in which he died should extinguish Resentments on our part, and lead us to a conciliatory Deportment toward his Family.— The Bearer I suppose will set out early in the morning— and I write this in some haste,...
5From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 23 September 1812 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 17 th . Inst — The Details in it are interesting, and I am glad you communicated them to me so early, and so particularly— The Sentiments you express relative to them, correspond with my own— The Resolution is not sufficiently cum ^cun^ning to conceal its object and Design— I have no Hesitation in concluding and saying that if we must have either M r . Madison...
6From John Jay to Richard Peters, 21 November 1810 (Jay Papers)
Among the news papers &c. brought to me last week from the post office, I found a Packet directed to me in your handwriting— it enclosed no Letter, but it enclosed no bad Substitute for one. On reading it I was pleased with the Information and Pleasantry which run thro’ it. I was a little surprised to find that you had given up old wine and apician Dishes; from whence I learn, that wit will...
7From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 10 February 1811 (Jay Papers)
Your Brother who is the Bearer of this, will deliver to you the original Book in which were entered as they occurred, the Expenditures for Aug[ustu] s ., and also (in other parts of the same Book) those which were made for M rs . Munro and her Son. He will also deliver to You the Accounts in question, of which there are Duplicates— one for your use in the Settlem t . and the other for S[i] r ....
8From John Jay to Maria Jay Banyer, 14 June 1815 (Jay Papers)
Sally is still here and quite as well as when she came; so that her Jaunt to NYork has been postponed, and we have not as yet concluded when it shall take place. On Saturday she rec d . a Letter from you; from which it appears that you had rec d . mine which contained certain Hints in the Propriety of which you agree in opinion with me. Whether it would be adviseable to make the Propositions...
9From John Jay to Richard Peters, 9 January 1811 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 25 Nov r — Altho the Privations you voluntarily submit to, exceed the “ne quid nimis” of the wise men, yet they evince a sound mind, and will I hope tend to preserve it long in a sound Body. My Inquiries respecting Speltz were in Terms too general. To sow wheat here, is like taking a Ticket in a Lottery—more blanks than prizes—the Fly destroys more than we...
10From John Jay to Richard Peters, 29 March 1811 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 14 th . ult., and also the Book on Plaister of Paris, which you was so obliging as to send me, and for which accept my thanks— Your Letter conveyed to me the first and only information I have received, that a copy of President Washington’s valedictory address, had been found among the papers of General Hamilton, and in his handwriting; and that a certain...
11From John Jay to Samuel Bayard, 5 February 1816 (Jay Papers)
I rec d . ^by the^ last mail the circular Letter of ^the^ 17 Jan y last ^ult^ from the Presid t . of the New Jersey Bible Society to ^me as Presid t of^ the one in this County, proposing that ^a meeting^ of Delegates from all the Bible Societies in the U.S. be held at ^the city of^ NYork on the second Wednesday in May next, to consider ^of^ and devise a Plan for ^rendering^ the Cooperation of...
12From John Jay to Maria Jay Banyer, 2[–3] February 1813 (Jay Papers)
Altho’ I have nothing interesting to communicate, yet I will not let the Mail go without a few Lines to you. I have rec d . your Letter of the 25 ult.— I feel very sensibly the affliction with with our Friend V. Schaack has been visited; and I greatly regret the Death of Judge Sedgwick— Such Events should make strong, but at the same time useful Impressions on our Minds. There have as yet been...
13From John Jay to Richard Peters, 23 April 1811 (Jay Papers)
I rec d . by the last mail your Letter of the 14 Inst:— Between the Date of mine to You of the 29 ult, and the arrival of yours of the 11 Inst, I was taken with a sore throat— it prevailed in the Neighbourhood, as was thought to be epidemic— As the Inflamation abated, a severe cough came on. I am getting better slowly, but am very feeble; tho’ less so than I was in April last. As to the...
14From John Jay to Maria Jay Banyer, 27 February 1816 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 19 th . Inst:— The Question you propose is not entirely free from Difficulties but this ^as^ you are apprized of these, they need not be enumerated — Various Considerations and Circumstances, too apparent & well known to require being specefied, made it just and proper that the Provision for you should not have been parsimonious. Whether this Error was...
15From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 23 April 1816 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 15 Inst: and am glad that your legislative Labors are terminated— some good has been done, and more might have been. I hope your Health continues unimpaired— if there be even any Doubts of this, let not professional Business tempt you to neglect it, and thereby render yourself more and more unable to endure the Fatigue of applying closely to such Affairs.— It...
16From John Jay to Mary Stansbury, 16 February 1813 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your obliging Letter of the 9 th . Inst— In my opinion th ey ^Ladies^ who suggested and established the orphan asylum, merit great commendation. It gave me pleasure to learn that much good was already resulting from that ^benevolent Institution—^ May it long continue to recieve, not only the Blessings of those who are ready to perish! but also of Him , who commands us to relieve...
17From John Jay to Cave Jones, 26 September 1811 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . ^by the last Mail^ your Letter of the 18 Inst— It certainly is important that the Facts asserted by you, and denied by Doct r . Hobart should not be left doubtful, if they can be rendered clear. How long it may be advise-able to delay the Reply, they who are on the sport and know exactly all the Circumstances which have relation to it, can best decide. If the indirect...
18From John Jay to Maria Jay Banyer, 3 January 1812 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 24 Ult; and am pleased to find you are pursuing the course you mention. Cheerfulness promotes Health, and Health promotes Cheerfulness. We are so formed, that when one part suffers, the Rest, whether corporeal or mental, are in a Degree affected by it. Hence it is the more proper that we should attend to every Indisposition, and to whatever may aggravate or...
19From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 18 March 1816 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 10 Inst:, but am yet uninformed whether mine of the 27 ult: to Maria, has come to her Hands. The Continuance of her Head Aches gives me the more Concern, as they render the Success of the Doctor’s Plan less certain than I had supposed— I think the Doct r . should be apprized of it, that he may alter or add to his Prescriptions, as he may think it adviseable....
20From John Jay to Peter Jay Munro, 18 April 1809 (Jay Papers)
I rec d . your Letter by W m ., and am happy in having rec d . so favourable an Acc t . respecting Maria— it corresponds with the Information given me by Wil m .— He also mentioned in strong Terms, your friendly attentions to him. I am much less unwell than I have been, but my Strength returns slowly— The Report you sent me, I have read— it certainly contains some valuable Provisions.—...
21From John Jay to Peter R. Livingston, 9 March 1813 (Jay Papers)
I rec d . by the last mail, your Letter of the 26 Ult. informing me of the Death of Chancellor Livingston.— This Event awakens ^combined with^ the Recollection of past Days & Incidents which Together ^and^ with the his having expressed the Sentiments of me that ^that^ you mention, excites Feelings too ^which (being^ obvious and natural) to need Description need not be described May He who...
22From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 24 October 1811 (Jay Papers)
I went with Nancy last Friday to Rye, and returned on Monday. As the carriage came to the Door, your uncle asked me what I thought of parting with Peet— there was no time to think or say much on the Subject— I observed that it would be difficult to supply his place by a person equally capable of serving in such a Variety of Respects. I had the Day before advised him to make it Cæsars Interest...
23From John Jay to Richard Peters, 24 July 1809 (Jay Papers)
Soon after recieving your letter of the 18 Sept r . last, I was called to Albany by the Death of the only remaining Child of my Daughter; whose Grief for the Loss of her Son and of her Husband, was still fresh and severe.— I returned on the 3 d . of Nov r . with a Pain on my Side, which the Doct r . ascribed to an obstruction in the Liver. The Complaint increased, and kept me in close...
24From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 22 March 1813 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 19 th . Inst:— Care must be taken to make adequate Provision for my Expenses here, which are not inconsiderable— when the monies payable to S r . James, and to Nicholl, are deducted, the Ballance remaining will not be great— M r Felch lately wrote a Letter to the Vestry signifying that he could not continue in their Service for less than $500 a Year— They...
25From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 18 March 1812 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letters of the 6 th . and 13 th . Inst: — The woman procured by W m . appears to be desirous to give Satisfaction, but is in some Respects deficient in Qualifications for her place— I am glad however that she was sent— the other went to Sinsing last Saturday, not a little mortified and disappointed. As W m . has rec d . Bismuth from Albany, Nancy will not want a further...
26From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 13 August 1816 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 9 th . Inst— on Saturday last M r . Hach [alia] h Bailey was here, & paid the Int[eres] t . that was due— He mentioned his having intended to pay the Principal, and that a Sum to the amount ^of it,^ had probably been paid to you on his acct.; but that certain Circumstances induced him to apprehend that it would be convenient to him to postpone the Payment— It...
27From John Jay to William Wilberforce, 8 November 1809 (Jay Papers)
On the 28 ult. I rec d . your Letter of the 1 st . of Aug t . last, and I thank you for it, and for the Pamphlets enclosed with it.— It was not without Surprize and Regret that I percieved from it, that my Letter to you of the 14 April 1806, in answer to your’s of the 7 Nov r . 1805, had never come to your hands; and it appeared to me the more singular, as a Duplicate was also sent. As they...
28From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 30 March 1813 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 26 Inst.— You observe that you had rec d . and paid for the Christian Observer sent by D r . Morse— I presume it must be the Panoplyst. — In answer to S r . James’s Question “when he first sent me some of his invisible Ink?” tell him that I cannot recollect the Time exactly, but that I think it was as early as 1773 or 1774. The Impression on my mind is, that...
29From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 4 May 1813 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 30 Ult: but none from Albany. The Sums to be paid to S r . James and M rs . ^F. Jay^ were I think 58–25, to each of them— Your Letter says 58–21— perhaps the Error was in my Letter to you— but it is not very important— Altho there is a Ballance due to me from your uncle Peter, yet I wish to close the Account in Question— pay therefore to M r . Munro for him,...
30From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 28 April 1812 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 24 th . Inst.— Blake refused to have a doct r . and is again well— The attack was violent, but I doubt its having been by the prevailing Fever— Its having abated, and not hearing of any new Cases, I sent for W m .; who was importunate to return— he arrived on Saturday last— The late and present cool weather has produced new Cases of Fever— I heard Yesterday of...
31From John Jay to Jacob I. Griswold Jr., 5 August 1816 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter——July last, and have read the Proposals for “a grand national Institution,” and also the Pamphlet ^explaining^ it which were inclosed within Whether, (if I may use the Expression) the public Mind is prepared to give competent Support to an Institution so comprehensive; and whether provision can be made for ably doing the Business assigned to each of its numerous...
The Vestry having deliberately heard and examined the Witnesses relative to the Reports in Circulation respecting M r . Feltch, together with his allegations and Remarks touching the same; proceeded to take the whole matter into Consideration: And having maturely and dispassionately considered it, they are of opinion, and do Resolve— That the Expressions used by M r . Feltch to M r . John F....
33From John Jay to John Murray Jr., 12 October 1816 (Jay Papers)
Accept my good Friend tha my thanks for your kind Letter of the 22 ult and for the Pamphlets enclosed in ^with it^, which ^they^ came to my Hands on the 2 Inst. The state of my Health is such, that I can read or write but little at a Time without Fatigue; and therefore I cannot prudently venture on the Task you recommend— Whether war of every Description is prohibited by the Gospel, is one of...
34From John Jay to Timothy Pickering, 9 February 1810 (Jay Papers)
I wrote to you by the last mail — On the 10 Aug t . 1782 Doct r . Franklin & myself waited on C[oun] t . De Vergennes, and a Conference between him and us, on the subject of Oswalds Commission ensued. The Count declared his opinion that we might proceed to treat with M r . Oswald under it— & c .— I observed that it would be descending from the Ground of Independence to treat under the...
35From John Jay to Horatio Gates Spafford, 20 October 1813 (Jay Papers)
I have had the pleasure of recieving your Letter of the 22 r . Ult, and also the Copy of your Gazetteer which you was so obliging as to leave with my Son for me; and for which I thank you. On hearing that it was published, I had a copy purchased for my own use— I shall place one in our Town Library, and dispose of some others in the manner most likely to excite attention. As yet I have rather...
36From John Jay to Richard Peters, 9 January 1815 (Jay Papers)
It is a great while since any Letters have passed between us— perhaps some of them have miscarried. The Season reminds me that I have survived the last year, and that I have left with it a great number who enjoyed more Health and Strength. Many friendly wishes have as usual been reciprocated on this occasion, but it seems to be questionable, whether an average proportion of them will be...
37From John Jay to Richard Bland Lee, 7 September 1812 (Jay Papers)
In your obliging answ r . to my Letter of the Feb y . last, mention is made of a work of your Brother, then in the press— viz t . memoirs of the War in the southern Departm t . The Subject and the author, naturally excited my attention and my Desire to procure a Copy— I have not learned that it has yet been published, nor seen any thing relative to it, in our public papers. I presume therefore...
38From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 5 November 1816 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 1 Inst. and am indeed sorry to learn from it that M r . G. Morris was then thought to be at the point of Death— it would be an Event which I should for many Reasons greatly regret— not having as yet heard of his Decease, there seems to be some little Probability of his being still alive, and perhaps of his being convalescent.— the next mail I presume will...
39From John Jay to Eleazar Lord, 7 February 1817 (Jay Papers)
Accept my thanks for your obliging Letter of the 31 ult. and for the Pamphlets which were inclosed with it. I hope the The Institution of Sunday Schools is in my opinion calculated to do good extensively, and in various Respects. I hope they will ^I hope they will become more general.^ On the Subject of War and capital Punishments, my Sentiments do not altogether correspond with those of some...
40From John Jay to The Wardens and Vestry of the United Episcopal Church of Bedford and North Castle, 14 February 1810 (Jay Papers)
The Candor and openness which you have a Right to expect, and which I have observed, in all my Transactions with you; render it proper in my opinion, that I should communicate to You, a Letter which I have lately written to Bishop Moore.— I therefore subjoin a copy of it. I am Gentlemen with great Respect your ob t . Serv t . The Church Wardens and Vestry of the United Epscopal Church—at...
41From John Jay to Timothy Pickering, 26 February 1810 (Jay Papers)
The last Mail brought me both your obliging Letters — At this Moment I am constrained to write in Haste — When the present Governm t . was organized there were many interesting Papers of the former Congresses in the Hands of their Secretary M r . Thompson— there was a secret Journal as well as a public one— I presume that the Heads of the Departm ts . rec d . from him the papers appertaining...
42From John Jay to Jedidiah Morse, 14 February 1815 (Jay Papers)
On the 4 th . Inst. I rec d . by the Mail from New York, your interesting Letter of the 17 th . ult.— I have read the Pamphlets communicated to me by M r Grant; and derived from them the only Knowledge I have of the Transactions noticed in them. It would not be easy to introduce into my Mind Doubts of your Rectitude— my opinion of it has undergone no alterations. You are drawing Consolation...
43From John Jay to Philip Smith, 7 January 1817 (Jay Papers)
M r . Jay understanding ^presents his Comp ts . to M r . Ph. Smith—^ Being informed that M r . Ph Smith is authorized to recieve and give Certificates for Taxes on Carriages in this Town, ^M r Jay^ subjoins a List of his Carriage being the same which he had the last Year ; and sends by the Bearer the Am t . of the Taxes on them, as will appear from the Certificates he then rec d
44From John Jay to William Jay, 16 September 1812 (Jay Papers)
When or where you will recieve this Letter is uncertain. I shall inclose it to Maria; who will either forward it immediately, or detain it until your Return to Albany, as she may think most adviseable— I rec d . by the last Mail your handsome and affectionate Letter of the 7 th . Inst. — it is sincerely my wish that the Expectations of both Families may be realized; and nothing will conduce...
45From John Jay to Maria Jay Banyer, 8 May 1810 (Jay Papers)
I wrote to you a few Lines last week, but they were written in much Haste — We flattered ourselves with recieving Letters from you or Sally on Saturday last, but were disappointed. This I impute to negligence at one or other of the Post offices. The Disappointm t . was the greater, as we were and continue anxious to know whether we may expect the Pleasure of seeing you here this Month....
46From John Jay to Richard Peters, 14 March 1815 (Jay Papers)
On reading your interesting Letter of the 19 th . of Jan y . I observed with particular pleasure, from the matter and manner of it, that notwithstanding the winter of Life and Snow falling on your Head, you endure like an Evergreen. Your Impression that “we should e’re long have Peace,” has been verified. If I remember right, you had heretofore an Impression that Spain, altho’ her case was...
47From John Jay to Gouverneur Morris, 21 September 1812 (Jay Papers)
I rec d . on the 19 th . your Letter of the 11 th . Inst.— The Diminution of my health since I left you, leaves me very little Reason to expect a Return of such a Degree of it, as would enable me to attend to any Business like that in Question— To undertake a Task without a Prospect and probability of performing it properly, is to deviate from the Path of prudence. The last is the only week,...
48From John Jay to William Wilberforce, 25 October 1810 (Jay Papers)
On the 13 th . Inst. I rec d . and read with great pleasure, your interesting and friendly Letter of the 18 July last. There are several Topics in it, on which I should like to converse with you— they shall be noticed in some future Letters. As I cannot write or read much at a time, without fatigue, I shall confine myself at present to the one, on which you express a wish to know my...
49From John Jay to William Miller, 24 November 1815 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 12 th . of this Month. Having for more than a Fortnight, been ill of the Cold or Influenza, which prevails this Season very generally; I find myself feeble, and unable to write or read much without Fatigue. I cannot however let Garret return, without committing to his Care a few Lines in answer to yours.— You are right in supposing that at your age much...
50From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 13 October 1812 (Jay Papers)
Nancy returned on Thursday last, and to appearance as well as when she left us— I am happy to learn from your Letter of the 7th Inst . that Mary and the children had arrived in safety— We have rec d . the Rusk & c .— If the Question respecting M r . Farmer should be submitted to the Convention, inform me of the Result. Have you obtained M r . Rutherfurds opinion of the value of Pettits Farm?...