From John Jay to Samuel Huntington, 29 October 1780
To Samuel Huntington
Madrid Octr 5 [29] 1780
Dr. Sir
The Duplicate Origin Your Letter of the 5 Novr. last never reached me. The Duplicate of it together with your Favor of the 12 July were delivered to me this Day ^are now before me^—1 I thank you for them both
I am happy to hear that none of my Transactions mentioned in the Letters you allude to ^to^ “met with the least Disapprobation from ^in^ Congress”—2
While they continue satisfied with my Conduct my utmost Ambition will be gratified— My public Letter3 will be so long and so particular as to render it unnecessary for me to [illegible] say any thing on the Subjects of it in this— I know your want of Liezure and therefore cannot expect Intelligence in Detail from you—nor indeed can I expect a very accurate Correspondence with the Committee—4 You know my Opinion of all standing Coms.—and I and I shall be much disappointed if these affairs shd ever be properly managed till committed to some able industrious responsible Person to be appointed & paid by Congress for that^e^ Purpose—5 The Gent of whom this Come. is composed merit Esteem & Confidence, but I do not believe that any three Members of Congress could be ever either can or will be found adequate to this Business— The offices being in my Opinion ^utterly^ incompatible.
I shall never forget how much I owe to your Delicacy and Politeness nor shall I omit any opportunity of convincing you of the Esteem & Regard with which I am Dr. Sir Your most obedt Servt
Mrs. Jay & Col. Livingston desire to be particularly remembered to you
His Exy Saml Huntington Esqr
Dft, NNC (EJ: 7745). Marked: “Private”. Endorsed by JJ: “ . . . 29 Octr. 1780.”
1. See the President of Congress to JJ, 5 Nov. 1779 and 12 July 1780, both ALS, NNC (EJ: 7688, 7740).
2. A reference to JJ’s decisions concerning the Confederacy and his conduct on Martinique, mentioned in Huntington’s letter to JJ of 12 July 1780, ALS, NNC (EJ: 7740).
The thirteen letters from JJ that Huntington acknowledged are dated as follows: 19 and 20 Oct. 1779; 24, 25 (two letters), 26, and 27 Dec. 1779; 27 Jan., 20 and 29 (not 28) Feb., and 3 Mar. (three letters) 1780. LbkCs of 19 Oct. 1779, and one letter of 3 Mar. missing from DNA: PCC, are in NNC: JJ Lbk. 5; 20 Oct. 1779, not found. For the letters of December 1779, see : 733–47. Two letters of 3 Mar. are printed above. LbkCs of 27 Jan., 20 and 29 (not 28) Feb., and 3 Mar. 1780, except for the missing 3 Mar. letter, are in DNA: PCC, item 110, vol. 1 (EJ: 4078, 4082, 4083, 2665); NNC: JJ Lbks. 1 and 5; and CSmH. Dft of 27 Jan. in NNC (EJ: 7734); all, except the missing 3 Mar. text, are in , 3: 436–45, 474–75, 509–10, 526–27, 529–31; 27 Jan. and one letter of 3 Mar. are in , 1: 263–64, 274–75. All but 19 and 20 Oct. are noted as read in Congress (, 16: 400; 17: 435). The 3 Mar. letter missing from DNA: PCC, “relative to advances to American seamen,” and that of 29 Feb. were referred to the Board of Admiralty (, 17: 435).
3. For JJ’s official dispatch to Huntington, see JJ to the President of Congress, 6 Nov. 1780, below.
4. Up to 29 Oct. 1780, JJ had received only the committee’s letter of 11 Dec. 1779, above.
5. For JJ’s views on congressional standing committees as executive bodies, see his letter to James Lovell, 27 Oct., which replied to Lovell to JJ, 11 July 1780, both above.