1The American Peace Commissioners to Robert R. Livingston, 27 July 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives; copies: Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society The Definitive Treaties between the late beligerent Powers are none of them yet compleated. Ours has gone on slowly, owing partly to the Necessity Mr. Hartley (Successor of Mr Oswald) thinks himself under of sending every Proposition, either his own or ours, to his Court for their Approbation; and their Delay...
2From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 20 July 1783 (Jay Papers)
The Delays which have unexpectedly postponed the Completion of the definitive Treaty, have hitherto prevented my trying the Effect of the Waters of Bath for a Pain in my Breast, which has continued in different Degrees for a Year past. Were I much longer to neglect that only probable Chance of restoring my Health, my little Family might have much Reason to complain. I fear that the fluctuating...
3From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 19 July 1783 (Jay Papers)
our Dispatches by Barney must be ready the Day after Tomorrow. The many Letters I have written, and have still to write, together with Conferences, Company &c a . keep me fully employed. You will therefore excuse my not descending so much to particulars, as both of us indeed might wish— As little that passes in Congress is kept entirely secret, we think it prudent at least to postpone giving...
4The American Peace Commissioners to Robert R. Livingston, 18 July 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives; press copy of LS : Massachusetts Historical Society; copies: Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society, Yale University Library; transcript: National Archives We have had the honour of receiving by Capt. Barney your two Letters of the 25th. of March & 21st of April, with the Papers referred to in them. We are happy to find that the Provisional Articles have...
5John Jay’s Draft of the American Peace Commissioners to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston) … (Jay Papers)
We have had the honor of receiving by Capt. Barney your two letters of the 21 & 25 Ap. last, with the Papers referred to in them. We are happy to find that the provisional Articles have been approved and ratified by Congress, and we regret that the manner, in which that business was conducted, does not coincide with your Ideas of Propriety. Your Doubts on that Head appear to have arisen from...
6From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 1 June 1783 (Jay Papers)
I have had the honor of rec g your Favor of the 4 th . of Jan y . last. The Cypher you mention to have enclosed, is missing—my letter by Cap t . Barney affords an answer to the greater part of your Enquiries. Business here goes on heavily. The dutch & English are not yet agreed and some points remain still to be adjusted between the latter and the french and Spaniards. M r . Hartley has an...
7From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 30 May 1783 (Jay Papers)
It cannot in my opinion be long before Congress will think it expedient to name a minister to the Court of London. Perhaps my Friends may wish to add me to the number of Candidates for that office— If that should be the Case I request the Favor of you to declare in the most explicit Terms that I view the Expectations of M r Adams on that head, as founded in Equity & Reason, & that I will not...
8From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 22 April 1783 (Jay Papers)
I wrote to you so lately by M r Mason and there is such a Dearth of news that I now write less to give you Information, than as a mark of Attention. There are several of your Letters which on acc t . of their Length, the Importance of their Subjects, and the Manner in which those Subjects were treated, demanded of me more minute answers than my Situation admitted of. M r Hartley is not yet...
9From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 11 April 1783 (Jay Papers)
I wrote you a short Letter on the 7 th . Ins t . certain Intelligence has since arrived from England, that the Duke of Portland is first Lord of the Treasury, M r Fox & L d . North Secretaries of State, and L d . John Cavendish Chancellor of the Exchequer. It is also said that Lord Stormont is Presid t . of the Council and the Duke of Manchester Embassador to Versailles. I hear that M r ....
10From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 7 April 1783 (Jay Papers)
After the Preliminaries had been settled and ratified, the Spanish Embassador informed me that his Court was ready to recieve me not only in Form, but “tres honnêtemont”. He then expected full Instructions relative to the proposed Treaty. The Marq s . de la Fayette in his Journey thro’ Madrid manifested great Zeal to serve us there. A Copy of a Letter from him to the Minister will be sent you...
11The American Peace Commissioners to Robert R. Livingston, 20 December 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : National Archives The Proposal inclosed, has been transmitted to us by Mr Bridgen, a Gentleman in London, who has been uniformly a Friend to America, and in a Variety of Ways, and at a great Expence has Served her Cause. It is a Project for introducing Copper Coins into the United States, and Seems to Us to merit the early Attention of Congress, to whom We have the Honour to recommend...
We have the honour to congratulate Congress on the Signature of the Preliminaries of a Peace between the Crown of Great Britain & the United States of America, to be inserted in a definitive Treaty so soon as the Terms between the Crowns of France & Great Britain shall be agreed on. A Copy of the Articles is here inclosed, and we cannot but flatter ourselves; that they will appear to Congress...
13The American Peace Commissioners to Robert R. Livingston, 14 December 1782 (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; copies: American Philosophical Society, Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society; transcript: National Archives We have the honour to congratulate Congress on the Signature of the Preliminaries of a Peace between the Crown of Great Britain & the United States of America, to be inscribed, in a definitive Treaty...
14From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 14 December 1782 (Jay Papers)
From our Preliminaries and the Kings Speech the present Disposition and System of the british Court may in my opinion be collected. Altho’ particular Circumstances constrained them to yield us more than perhaps they wished, I still think they meant to make (what they thought would really be) a satisfactory peace with us— In the Continuance of this Disposition & System too much Confidence ought...
15From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 12 December 1782 (Jay Papers)
I have already written a long Letter to you by this Vessel, and should have continued the Details of our subsequent Proceedings, had my Health admitted of the necessary application. You will receive from us a joint Letter, with a Copy of the Preliminaries. I shall therefore omit making any Remarks on them. Before I left Spain, and by Letters since my arrival here, I desired M r . Carmichael to...
16From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 7 December 1782 (Jay Papers)
On the 18 July last D r . Franklin paid me nine months Salary due on that Day— I have not taken up any money on the Bills sent by you on that account, because until the 18 Oct r . another quarter did not become due. I mentioned this more at large in a former Letter, and desired you to pay a Sum of money to M r Benson for the use of my Family at Poghkeepsie— I fear their Situation is not easy,...
17From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 17 November 1782 (Jay Papers)
Although it is uncertain when I shall have an opportunity either of finishing or transmitting the long particular ^ Letter ^ which I am now undertaking to write, I think the matter it will contain is too interesting to rest only in my Memory, or in short Notes, which nobody but myself can well unfold the meaning of. I shall therefore write on as my health will permit, and when finished shall...
18From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 13 October 1782 (Jay Papers)
I hope my Letter to you of the 18 th September, of which I also sent a Duplicate, has come safe to hand, for it contained important Matter— namely a Copy of a Letter from Marbois to the Count de Vergennes against our sharing in the Fishery This Court advised and persuaded us to treat with Oswald under his first Commission, I positively refused Aranda will not or can not exchange powers with...
19From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 28 September 1782 (Jay Papers)
I have only time to inform you that our objections to M r Oswalds first Commission have produced a second which arrived Yesterday— It empowers him to treat with the Commissioners of the thirteen United States of America— I am preparing some very interesting ^ a longer Letter on this ^ Subject, but as this Intelligence is interesting I take the earliest opportunity of communicating it With...
20From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 18 September 1782 (Jay Papers)
I send you herewith enclosed a Copy of a Translation of an important Letter*. The Original in French I have not seen, and at present is not accessible to me, though I shall endeavor to get a Copy of it, in Order the better to decide on the Correctness of the Translation. I am not at Liberty to mention the manner in which this Paper came to my Hands. To me it appears of Importance that it...
21From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 4 September 1782 (Jay Papers)
I wrote to You on the 13 Ult. a Copy of that Letter enclosing one for your good mother, and one for M r Benson, was given last Week to M r Wright, who had appointed last Thursday for setting out to Nantes in order to embark there for America. He is still here, but leaves Paris Tomorrow. This gives me an Opportunity of writing you a few Lines more, for tho’ I daily gain Strength, yet the...
22From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 13 August 1782 (Jay Papers)
Almost ever since my arrival here I have had and still have a sick Family. The epidemic Disorder which has spread throughout the northern parts of Europe, has been severe upon us. I am free from it at present, but it has taken from me some Flesh & much Strength. M rs Jay has frequent attacks of an intermitting Fever, and our little Girl is not yet quite wholly out of Danger. Your Letter of the...
23From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 28 June 1782 (Jay Papers)
I had the pleasure of writing to You on the 25 th . Instant— As the Express which is to carry that Letter, will not depart ’till To morrow Morning, I have a good Opportunity of making this Addition to my Dispatches. Agreeable to the Desire of Congress, as well as my own Wishes, I have had the Satisfaction of conferring with the Marquis de la Fayette, on several interesting Subjects. He is as...
24From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 25 June 1782 (Jay Papers)
My letters from Madrid, and afterwards a few lines from Bordeaux, informed you of my being called to this place by a pressing letter from Dr. Franklin. The slow manner of travelling in a Carriage through Spain, M rs . Jay’s being taken with a Fever & Ague the Day we left Bordeaux, and the Post Horses at the different Stages having been engaged for the Count du Nord, who had left Paris with a...
25From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 14 June 1782 (Jay Papers)
My Letter of the 11 May mentioned my being called to Paris by a Letter from D r Franklin—our Journey thus far afforded much variety, and excepting some bad Roads, Fleas, & Bugs, was not unpleasant—both Spanish and French Biscay contain a number of romantic pretty Scenes, and I assure you we found ourselves perfectly disposed to enjoy the Beauties of this charming Season— Our Health has been...
26From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 14 May 1782 (Jay Papers)
A Letter from Doct r . Franklin calls me to Paris— I set off in about five Days—he has doubtless written to You on this Subject. Maj r . Franks is on the way to You with Dispatches from me— be pleased to direct ^ send ^ your future Letters for me, under Cover to Doct r Franklin— No Inconveniences will at present be caused by my absence. The Instructions intended for M r Del Campo are to be...
27From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 28 April 1782 (Jay Papers)
My Letter to his Excellency the President of Congress of 3 d . of October last, of which a Copy has ^ also ^ been since sent, contained a full and accurate account of their Affairs here. Many minute, and not very interesting details of little difficulties were omitted, and among others those which arose from my having no funds for the Bills payable in October and November &c. &c. The...
28From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 14 March 1782 (Jay Papers)
Count Montfort will be the Bearer of this Letter— He was formerly Maj r . of Count Pulaski’s Legion, & on leaving America, resigned that Commission. He has the passed many months here, and is now setting out for Cadiz with Design to sail in the first Vessel from thence to Philadelphia— He expresses a strong Desire to be employed in our Country, and to which from the Consistency of his...
29From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 18 February 1782 (Jay Papers)
I wrote to you a short Letter on the 16 th . Instant. I have procured a Copy of the Gazette to be published To-morrow, and I send enclosed as much of it as contains the Articles of Capitulation for Fort S t . Philip. This Event takes place very opportunely, and will have a fine Effect in England. Things begin to look more promising; But I avoid particulars for a Week or two, that I may have a...
30From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 16 February 1782 (Jay Papers)
No Letters by the Marquis de la Fayette have as yet reached me. I had the Honor of writing to you on the 6 th . and 13 th . Instant. We were Yesterday informed, and so the Fact is, that the Castle of S t . Philip surrendered by Capitulation to the Duke De Crillon on the 4 th . Instant. There was no Breach made, nor any of the out Works taken. The Garrison are to go to England, and remain...