51From John Jay to Timothy Pickering, 12 February 1811 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 5 th Inst. requesting Information respecting the Aids afforded us by Spain in our revolutionary war. These come under two Heads—viz— those which preceded my leaving this Country for Spain in 1779—and those which were afterward rec d. — Your Letter relates only to the former— As to the first— In a Letter to me from the Count de Florida Blanca, dated the 24 Feb,...
52From John Jay to Susan Barclay, 16 December 1812 (Jay Papers)
I have recieved my dear Madam! your obliging Letter of the 6 th . Inst: and thank you for the Pleasure it has given me.— Having often seen early Friendships fade and fall like vernal Flowers, I am particularly pleased to find that your friendly Disposition towards me, remains unchanged. The Remembrance of it has frequently excited agreable Recollections, and led me to regret, that in the Lapse...
53From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 9 February 1813 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 5 th . Inst— and considered the Question stated in it.— To me it appears probable that the Leading Men among your Electors, and others in different parts of the State, desire and Expect a Petition to Congress. —If so— Can a satisfactory Reason from for declining it be given? or would it be discreet to be, and appear to be, passive and indifferent. If such...
54From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 28[–29] November 1811 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 25 th .— The necessity of stopping at Rye is obvious, and as to your aunt, at least not improper— and yet visits, prompted evidently by Convenience, are seldom pleasing. I wish the arrangement had been such as not to involve the Introduction of a new Guest there— under existing circumstances, there can be no Desire to see other visitors than those of the...
55From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 12 March 1816 (Jay Papers)
My last Letter to you was dated the 5 Inst— William rec d . one from you last Saturday, and I had one from Maria of the 5 th . Inst.— I wrote to Maria last Week on the Subject on which she had requested my advice. I hope she has rec d . it— One or other of us write weekly to you or Maria— Tell ^her^ that M r . Silkman having already taken a Boy, has no occasion for another— at present I do not...
56From John Jay to Richard Peters, 16 October 1811 (Jay Papers)
It was not until this Day, that I rec d . your Letter of the 5 Inst — owing to some Derangement in the post office, the two last mails did not come before Yesterday. It gives me pleasure to learn that your Health continues good—may it long continue so— mine is at present somewhat better— The Day before yesterday, my Son William returned from Rye. He found there the two Sheep you mention, safe...
57From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 4 February 1812 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 31 Ult. and am glad that the Tidings of Mary’s Illness and of her Recovery came together. A Letter from Maria arrived at the same time, but contains nothing respecting her Health. William purposes to make you a visit soon; but how soon exactly is not ascertained. I think he had better wait until Mary’s Health is more confirmed, which I hope will be the Case by...
58From John Jay to Eleazar Lord, 22 April 1816 (Jay Papers)
I rec d . last week your Letter of the 2 d . Inst., with the Pamphlets mentioned in it. Such has long been the State of my health, that I can neither read nor write much at a Time without Fatigue. the Subject of these papers being interesting, I shall peruse them gradually. Whether I shall be able to do more is at present uncertain. Be pleased to present my acknowledgm ts . to the Author of...
59From John Jay to John Brodhead Romeyn, 12 June 1816 (Jay Papers)
Your Letter of the 1 st . Inst., informing me that I had been elected one of the Vice Presidents of the American Bible Society, arrived by the last mail— I rejoice in the Institution of that national Society, and assure the Board of managers, that I am very sensible of the Honor they have done me, in thus connecting me with it.— The Events and Circumstances under which such Societies have been...
60From John Jay to Morris S. Miller, 22 May 1809 (Jay Papers)
I rec d . by the last mail, and have read with great pleasure, your obliging Letter of the 11 th . Inst:— The Information in conveys, cannot fail of being grateful to all who prefer the wise and upright Policy which distinguished the Administration of Washington, to that which of late has distressed and disgraced our Country: How far the favorable changes which have taken place, are imputable...
61From John Jay to William Miller, 30 March 1813 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 6 th . of last month— It gave us pleasure to learn from it, that ^you had regained^ your Health now re-established , and that M rs . Miller and all the Family were well. M r . Benson has been elected a Member of Congress; but your Intelligence that Peter was also elected, is not so correct. I understand that there was a small majority against him, but that the...
62From John Jay to Peter Jay Munro, 2 March 1812 (Jay Papers)
It is said that the manufacturing Company at Mamaroneck, have applied to the Legislature for an Act to empower them (on paying Damages) to overflow and drown as much of the adjacent Farms, and without the Consent of the owners, as may be necessary to make a Pond, that will afford a more ample Supply of water, than they can otherwise obtain there. The Country abounds in plentiful Streams— Why...
63From John Jay to David Longworth, 28 October 1809 (Jay Papers)
My Son has sent me your Letter of the 16 th . Ult. informing me that “you had been directed by Doct r . Ramsay, to present me, in his name, the Copy of his S. Carolina therewith sent.”— As yet my Son has not sent me the Books; for want I presume of a proper opportunity. It not being certain how soon such an opportunity may offer, I think I ought not to delay answering your Letter any longer.—...
64From John Jay to Maria Jay Banyer, 30 March 1813 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 22 d . Inst:— we are happy to learn that the Fever spread no further in your Family, and that you and Sally continue as well as usual. I hope a Trip to this place will conduce to the Health of you both— the most pleasant Season for it would you know be between the Middle of May and the middle of June. I wish you may have some person with you, to whom the...
65From John Jay to Joseph McKean, 14 April 1813 (Jay Papers)
I rec d . on Saturday last the interesting Letter which you did me the Favor to write on the 31 Ult. together with the two Pamphlets which you was so obliging as to send with it. Marks of Respect to the manners ^characters^ of such Men as Doct r . Eliot, not only tend to console their afflicted Relatives, but also to cherish the Virtues by which they were distinguished. Unhappily there is too...
66From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 24 March 1812 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . a Letter of the 20 Inst: from you; but from William none arrived by the last mail. The Ballance due to your uncle Peter will be somewhat less than $500— he may repay me the Difference. Your Cousin W m . L. Watkins has sent me his acc t . and according to it I owe him $43.63.— I presume it is right— ask him for a Copy of it, and pay him the Ballance— Nancy is again much better—...
67From John Jay to William H. Sackett, 29 July 1816 (Jay Papers)
M r . Jay presents his Comp ts . to Doct r . Sackett— Dick went lately to N. York in the Expectation of being rec d . and cured in the Hospital— The Doctors there, finding his Complaints to be a Fistula and an infection of the Lungs, were of the opinion— that if the Discharge from the Fistula was dried up, the other Disorder ^complaint in his Lungs^ might prove fatal;— that his Lungs ^and...
68From John Jay to Calvin Chapin, 2 September 1816 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 19. ult— informing me of the Time and place appointed for the next Meeting of the American Board of Commissioners for foreign Missions— Be pleased to inform me whether any Person in the City of New York has been engaged by the Board to receive Donations for them— with I am D r . Sir with Respect & Esteem Your ob t . Serv t Dft , NNC ( EJ : 08745 ). Calvin...
69From John Jay to Jedidiah Morse, 16 August 1809 (Jay Papers)
I this Morning rec d . your Letter of the 9 inst. with the interesting sermon which it enclosed; and I thank you for them both. A well arranged and well researched ^proper^ History of the U.S. would have much to recommend it, and in some respects, it would be singular ^or unlike all others^ It would develop the Great Plan of Providence for causing this extensive and (these) undiscovered part...
70From John Jay to Sarah Louisa Jay, 4 May 1813 (Jay Papers)
The last mail brought no Letters for either of us from You or your Sister. Nancy returned Yesterday from Rye, where she found and ^left^ our Friends as well as they usually are. Effy was from home, on a visit to her Family in Jersey. Nancy took Clarinda with her, to see her Sister Mary, who had passed the winter there— They had not seen each other for a great many Years. Augusta writes to...
71From John Jay to John Sinclair, 8 August 1816 (Jay Papers)
I have recieved the papers which you was so obli[ging as to send] me— accept my Thanks for them. Gratitude is due to thos[e who employ their] Time and Talents in promoting the common Welfare. Y[our exertions to improve] agriculture, and render it more productive, are known and [acknowledged. The] Paper on “Mildew in Wheat” I have sent to New York, to be pub [lished. The] multitude of...
72From John Jay to Cave Jones, 1 October 1816 (Jay Papers)
I have reflected on the Topics on which we conversed, and agreable to my Promise, now acquaint you with the Result— Permit me to premise, that in my opinion the newly instituted ^office^ of Provost of Columbia College, which has lately become vacant, should be discontinued; & consequently that there is no Person whom I wish to see appointed to fill it. To me it appears adviseable that the...
73From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 31 January 1810 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 26 th ., and the Boxes of Plaister you sent by the Stage. They are much less in Size than those bought and sent by W m . Watkins— buy three or four more, while they may be had, and keep them for the present.— W m . has been confined by a Cough, which is better— when a little more so, he purposes to make you a visit; and by him I intend to send the Papers you...
74From John Jay to Noah Webster Jr., 11 May 1813 (Jay Papers)
I have lately rec d . a Set of the Panoplist— and in the fifth volume have found, and for the first Time read, an address from you to the Friends of Literature; and also a Prospectus of your new Dictionary, in which a Subscription to that work is proposed. I had heard of the proposed Subscription, but not of the Circumstances and Reasons which appear in the address— Be pleased to inform me,...
75From John Jay to Peter Van Schaack, 28 July 1812 (Jay Papers)
I rec d . on Saturday last, your friendly Letter of the 20 th . Inst. No Event that is highly interesting to our Country, can be viewed with Indifference by good Citizens; and there are certain occasions when it is not only their Right, but also their Duty to express their Sentiments relative to public measures. As the War has been constitutionally declared, the People are evidently bound to...
76From John Jay to Gouverneur Morris, 28 October 1816 (Jay Papers)
Having heard much of your Discourse before the New York Historical Society, it gave me pleasure to recieve a Copy of it; and to find from the Direction that I owed it to your friendly attention. It abounds in interesting Remarks— The Diction is elevated throughout— perhaps in some Instances beyond the proportion which the Topics bear to each other. In Landscape we prefer Hill and Dale to a...
77From John Jay to Benjamin Moore, 14 February 1810 (Jay Papers)
Sanguine Expectations appear to ^are said^ to be entertained here, that the application lately made for a gratuitum Stipend to the Minister to be called by this Congregation will succeed— For my own part I wish it may succeed—for if such a Bounty be proper in any Case, I think it would be in this.— The Expediency however of granting such Bounties, on what I understand to be the present Plan,...
78From John Jay to Richard Peters, 26 February 1810 (Jay Papers)
After lingering thro’ the Summer, I found my Disorder gradually returning in the Autumn. Since the middle of Nov r . I have been confined to the House; but have as yet suffered less this winter, than I did the last. At Times however, I seemed to be approaching that State in which “a Grasshopper is a Burden”. When I took up my Pen, it was not because it was pleasant, but because it was...
79Exegesis of Genesis, Chapter 1, Verse 3 [c. 1813] (Jay Papers)
Men have universally and in all Ages agreed and concurred in ascribing Light to the Instrumentality of the Sun Moon and Stars, and yet Moses assures us that Light was made before any of those Luminaries were created— How is this contradictory apparent contradiction to be reconciled to Truth? I never doubted the Fact as asserted by Moses— the Difficulty was how to account for it— If a...