From John Jay to Sarah Livingston Jay, 6–8 July 1794
To Sarah Livingston Jay
London— Sunday Evg. 6[–8]July 1794
my dear Sally,
All this Day have I constantly been employed in writing Letters. The Number of applications made to me on Subjects unconnected with public or private affairs, have consumed more Time than I could with any convenience spare. Vessels will sail in the Course of this Week to america, and it is necessary and proper that I should write by them. You have seen me in similar Situations before; and how little Leisure I had for the pleasure of writing to my particular Friends. I am happy however in having a Degree of Health which enables me to dispatch these incidental affairs with so much1 Expedition as to prevent their accumulating upon me—
Yesterday I had the Satisfaction of recievg. your kind Letter of the 29 May:2 I thank you for it very cordially: it is the first of your’s that has reached me since my arrival; it has added to my Consolation. To be assured that you were all well, is a pleasing Circumstance. God grant that You may all continue so. I am anxious for a Leisure moment to write to Maria and Nancy, Fœdy & Mr. Munro, but fear it will not be in my power by this vessel.
Peter is very well and will write to You. His conduct is such as to meet with my approbation— He at present enjoys advantages which few of his age and Country meet with. I hope and believe he will not neglect them.3
Your4 Description of the violent Storm and the apprehensions which it excited in your mind,5 occasion Emotion not easily described. I think it providential that we hastened away as we did.6 On the 29 May we were beyond its Reach.7 But God governs on the Ocean, as well as on the Land; and no Events take place without his Permission or appointmt.
Has Mr. Munro concluded with Col. Post— do you know how Things go on at Bedford. You know how to write to me in such a Manner as that if the Letters miscarry no Inconveniences will happen— I wrote to you from Falmouth, and twice from Hence—8 I hope some of those Letters will soon reach You. I know how anxious you must9 be to hear of our safe arrival— and I am equally so10 that Intelligence of it may soon reach You.
I have given Mr. Scattergood the pleasing Information you mention— I found him an agreable Companion— he is still here. Mrs. Low is gone out of Town. Mr. Johnson11 talks of carrying his Family to the fœderal city, and settling there. Mr. Vaughan’s Family have been very friendly and attentive. How my Mission will terminate I cannot yet decide— There is Roorn12 for Hope, and also some for doubts. I wish it was finished, that I may again take my place in our little domestic Circle— never I hope to leave it again13 while I live— however, being in the Way of my Duty I must resign and be composed—
when you write, mention the Dates of such Letters as you may recieve from me.
8 July— nothing new has occurred— Be so good as to forward the Letter herewith enclosed—14 Kiss all our dear little ones for me
Mrs. Jay
AL, NNC (EJ: 08057). Closing and signature excised. Dft, PC: Kenneth W. Rendell, Inc. Enclosure not found.
1. Here in the Dft JJ excised “a Degree of” before interlining “so much”.
2. SLJ to JJ, 29 May 1794, above.
3. Here in the Dft JJ excised the following paragraph: “So you have had a sad Storm and the poplars are blown down— I feel more affected by the apprehensions it excited in your mind than for any Damage it may have done to our Trees— I hear also you had a severe Frost and that much Injury has been done by it— These are disagreable Circumstances—but our Country still has many Blessings.”
4. Before this word JJ excised in the Dft “I feel vio”.
5. Here in the Dft JJ excised “affect me very”.
6. Here in the Dft JJ excised “Had we sailed two or three days later”.
7. Here in the Dft JJ excised “of the Storm wh. then prevailed”.
8. Letter from Falmouth not found, but see JJ to SLJ, 23 June, ALS, NNC (EJ: 08055); and 4 July 1794, above.
9. Here in the Dft JJ excised “happy” and “will”, and interlined “anxious” and “must”.
10. Here in the Dft JJ excised “anxious” and interlined “equally so”.
11. Joshua Johnson, whose son Thomas Johnson attended Princeton College. See JJ to SLJ, 23 June, ALS, NNC (EJ: 08055).
12. Here in the Dft JJ excised “Reason”, before interlining “Room”.
13. Here in the Dft JJ excised “until I bid it a fin”.
14. Letter not identified. This 8 July postscript does not appear in the Dft.