John Jay Papers
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From John Jay to Matthew Clarkson, Richard Varick, and the Commissioners for Fortifying the Port and City of New York, 4 January 1797

To Matthew Clarkson, Richard Varick, and the Commissioners for Fortifying the Port and City of New York

Albany 4th: January 1797

Gentlemen

I received Yesterday a letter from General Van Cortlandt of the 26 ult1 with a Resolution of the House of Representatives of the 16 ult. appointing a Committee2 relative to Fortifications of which the enclosed are Copies—.3

You will perceive from these Papers the Importance of conveying to the Committee accurate Information respecting the State of our Fortifications and the Expediency of Additional Works to render our Harbour secure— It is desirable that the Committee should make such a Report to Congress as may induce them to provide more ample Supplies for these Objects, than they have hitherto done; and in my opinion it would be useful to employ the Engineer Mr Mangin and Col. Stephens to wait on the Committee at Philadelphia and communicate to them in Detail all the Information that may be requisite to enable them to understand the Subject perfectly—4 I think I sent to Col. Morton5 a Statement of the Expenses which would probably be incurred in finishing the Works—

As it will be prudent to avoid Delay, I think it will be best to make the necessary communications immediately, and I will write by the Post to Mr Van Cortlandt that the Committee will soon receive them from you—6 I have the Honor to be Gentlemen your most obedt. & humbe. Servt.

John Jay

[Genl. Clarkson, R. Varick & others— Commrs. for fortifying the City & Port of N.Y.]

LS, NNYSL (EJ: 02859). LbkC, N: Governor’s Lbk. 1 (EJ: 03056).

1Letter not found, but referenced in JJ to Van Cortlandt, 4 Jan. 1797, LbkC, N: Governor’s Lbk. 1 (EJ: 03057). Philip Van Cortlandt represented New York’s 3rd District in the House of Representatives.

2Annals description begins Annals of the Congress of the United States (42 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1834–56) description ends , 4: 1672. The seven-person committee consisted of Abraham Baldwin (Ga.), Isaac Coles (Va.), Nicholas Gilman (N.H.), William Lyman (Mass.), John Patten (Del.), Mark Thomson (N.J.), and Philip Van Cortlandt (N.Y.).

3Enclosures not found.

4For more on Mangin and Stevens’s activities, see the editorial note “Defending New York,” above.

5Jacob Morton (1762–1836), Federalist lawyer and militia officer who represented the city and county of New York in the state assembly.

6JJ to Van Cortlandt, 4 Jan. 1797, LbkC, N: Governor’s Lbk. 1 (EJ: 03057).

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