John Jay Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jay/01-03-02-0136

From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 30 May 1783

To the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston)

Paris 30 May 1783.

It cannot in my opinion be long before Congress will think it expedient to name a minister to the Court of London. Perhaps my Friends may wish to add me to the number of Candidates for that office—1 If that should be the Case I request the Favor of you to declare in the most explicit Terms that I view the Expectations of Mr Adams on that head, as founded in Equity & Reason, & that I will not by any means stand in his way. were I in Congress I should vote for him. He deserves well of his Country and is very able to serve her— It appears to me to be but fair that the disagreable Conclusions which may be drawn from the abrupt Repeal of his former Commission should be obviated by its being restored to him. I do therefore in the most unequivocal manner decline and refuse to be a Competitor with that faithful Servant of the public for the Place in Question—2

As Mr Barclay has Power to settle our accounts in Europe I wish that orders may be sent to Mr Carmichael to come here with the Books & Documents necessary to enable Mr Barclay to examine and settle the public accounts in my Department. I cannot learn that my repeated Requests to him to send a State of those accounts to Philada. have as yet been complied with.3 I am Dear Sir Yours sincerely

John Jay

The Honble Robt. R. Livingston Esqr

ALS, DNA: PCC, item 89, 2: 486 (EJ: 11919). Marked: “Dupt.” Addressed: “The Honble Robt. R. Livingston Esqr / Philadelphia”. Endorsed: “ . . . Read Octr 4.—/ The Object of this Letter / as far as relates to the / publick viz. Mr Jays / Acct is answered by / the Instrcts to / the minisr under / Considn.” Triplicate ALS, DNA: PCC, item 89, 2: 468 (EJ: 11917). Dft, NNC (EJ: 7962). LbkCs, DNA: PCC, item 119, 3: 7–8 (EJ: 4247); NNC: JJ Lbk. 2.

1For Benjamin Vaughan’s suggestion that, if BF were unwilling to accept the position, JJ would “do very well,” see JJ to John Vaughan, 15 Feb. 1783, note 2, above.

2On JA’s hope to be named minister to Great Britain, see the Secretary for Foreign Affairs to JJ, 1 May 1783, above. It was not until 24 Feb. 1785 that he received the appointment. See JCC description begins Worthington C. Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1904–37) description ends , 28: 98. For the American peace commissioners’ view that the United States should take the initiative in establishing diplomatic relations with Britain at the ministerial level, see their letter to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs of 27 July 1783, below. For Gouverneur Morris’s opposition to the appointment of a minister to Great Britain at this time, and for his questions as to JA’s impartiality with regard to British political factions, see his letter to JJ of 25 Sept. 1783, below; and PRM description begins E. James Ferguson et al., eds., The Papers of Robert Morris, 1781–1784 (9 vols.; Pittsburgh, Pa., 1973–99) description ends , 547–48, 550.

3On JJ’s Spanish accounts, see the editorial note “Settling the Spanish Accounts” on pp. 550–54.

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