To John Jay from Rufus King, 29 January 1796
From Rufus King
Philadelphia 29. Jan. 1796
Dear Sir
Mr. Harper concurs in the idea of printing by way of note, your return Letter to him,1 and by this post will transmit a copy to Mr. Morris for that purpose—
We are yet without the ratification from England,2 & I am not wholly free from an apprehension that the instructions given to Mr. Deas3 may have been so misconceived by him, that a still further Delay may happen before we can receive it— Three original Ratifications by the President were sent by different Vessels to Mr. Deas; and he was instructed in case of the Ratification by his Br[itish]. Maj[esty]. without delay to transmit by different conveyances, three copies thereof. A copy or transcript of the original, Ratification made by Mr. Deas has been transmitted by him, and his Letter is silent respecting an intention of sending an Original—4
From the Deranged state of the Office of State for some time past, this Subject appears not to have been attended to, and it was not until the Receipt of Deas’s Copy of the Ratification, that his instructions were resorted to in order to ascertain what he had been directed to do on this Subject—
By Letters from Mr. Adams, he probably arrived in London early in Novr. though the sole Business for which he was ordered there, will have been completed before his arrival (for he has not been instructed respecting the further Negotiation relative to the 12—Art[ic]le.) yet it is hoped that on looking into the Business, and perceiving that an original Act of Rat[ificatio]n. has not been sent, he will correct the Error. With sincere Respect & Esteem I am &c.
Rufus King
ALS, NNC (EJ: 06689). Endorsed: “… an[swere]d 2 Feb 1796”.
1. See JJ to Robert Goodloe Harper, 19 Jan. 1796, and notes, above.
2. TP frequently wrote to Deas during the winter of 1795–96, informing him that the American government had yet to receive the ratified treaty. TP to Deas, 27 Feb., and 9 Mar. 1796, MHi: Pickering.
3. Instructions to Deas not found.
4. William Allen Deas of South Carolina (1764–c. 1820) was chargé d’affaires in Great Britain during the absence of Thomas Pinckney in Spain. TP had drafted the instructions for the official exchange of ratifications of the Jay Treaty. Because Deas was not considered of sufficient rank, TP ordered JQA, American minister at The Hague, to travel to London to handle the business. To permit news of the ratification to arrive by the time Congress assembled in December, Deas was authorized to act if JQA did not arrive by 20 Oct. On 28 Oct. 1795, Deas informed TP that Great Britain had ratified the treaty on that day and enclosed a copy of the British instrument of ratification. TP to JQA, 25 Aug. 1795, MHi: Pickering; Deas to TP, 28 Oct. 1795, DNA: RG 59, Despatches from United States Ministers to Great Britain, 1791–1906, vol. 3, November 29, 1791–May 4, 1797. Deas’s dispatch is endorsed as received on 28 Dec. 1795.
JQA arrived in London on 11 Nov. and took up negotiations with Grenville on impressment, evacuation of western posts, and neutral rights, until Pinckney’s return in mid-January 1796. JQA returned to the Netherlands in May 1796. , 11: 32, 33n4. Instructions regarding renegotiation of Art. 12 on trade with the West Indies were later given to RK when he was appointed minister to Great Britain, but only temporary and partial concessions were obtained while the war between Britain and France continued. , 73–76.
The original British instrument of ratification, sent by Thomas Pinckney, did not arrive until 22 Apr. 1796. TP to Pinckney, 23 Apr. 1796, LbkC, RG 59, Diplomatic and Consular Instructions of the Department of State, 1791–1801, vol. 3, June 5, 1795–January 21, 1797. See , 19: 496; , 37–38; TP to RK, 8 June 1796, MHi: Pickering.