To John Jay from Gouverneur Morris, 28 July 1775
From Gouverneur Morris
[New York 28th. July 1775—]
Dear Sir
What shall we do with our West Chester Causes1 I have not hitherto given you any Notices of Trial because the Uncertainty and Inquietude of the Times in some measure prohibited me the Hope of trying them. Besides this I daily expected you in Town and wished for the Certainty of your Presence inasmuch as it would have been an improper Advantage over you while attending upon the public Business—It would give me Pleasure to hear from you on any Subject but especially on this as I must notice and try at least one of those Causes for Reasons which will certainly strike your Mind. at the same Time observe that I do not mean to be non suited for a Negligence which is only on my Word to be attributed to the Causes I have already declared to you—Nor do I expect that you will make use of the Advantage you have in my not giving you a Term’s Notice. But you must send me an Answer on these Subjects and let me know whether you expect to be at Home or if not that you will write to Sam Jones2 on the Subject.—I am in immense Haste your Friend
Gouvr. Morris
ALS, NNC (EJ: 6957). Addressed: “To/John Jay Esqr./Philadelphia.” Endorsed: “Gouvr. Morris/to/John Jay—/28 July 1775/letter & answr.” On the verso of this letter JJ drafted his reply (EJ: 6958).
1. Public responsibilities prevented both Gouverneur Morris and JJ from giving attention to their legal practices during the spring and early summer of 1775. Morris attended the provincial congress in New York City almost daily between 22 May and 28 July. JJ was preoccupied for an even longer time, busying himself in New York City with the affairs of the Committee of One Hundred from 1 May until he left for Philadelphia, where he sat in the Continental Congress from 12 May through 2 Aug.
2. Samuel Jones (1734–1819) of Oyster Bay was a Queens County lawyer and later a Loyalist who remained within British-occupied New York, a state legislator, and a New York Antifederalist active in the New York ratifying convention. , 18: 258.