1From John Jay to Oliver Wolcott, 20 October 1797 (Jay Papers)
It was not untill Yesterday that I recieved (under cover from Col. Talmadge) the Letter which your Excellency did me the Honor to write on the 19 th . of last Month, with the one addressed to you by several Gentlemen of Litchfield requesting your Interposition with ^me^ for the Pardon of Israel Stone, who is now under Sentence of confinement for Life on Conviction of Forgery—. To your...
2Message to the New York State Assembly, 26 February 1801 (Jay Papers)
IT has generally and justly been considered as highly important to the security and duration of free States, that the different Departments and Officers of Government should exercise those powers only, which are constitutionally vested in them; and that all controversies between them, respecting the limits of their respective jurisdictions and authorities, be circumspectly and speedily...
3From John Jay to Josiah Ogden Hoffman, 22 October 1798 (Jay Papers)
It is painful to say disagreable Things to ones Friends, and yet and it is not without Reluctance that I apprize You, that your pecuniary Embarrassments have excited apprehensions that are considered as being incompatible with the Attention and Independence with which the Duties of your office should be executed. This opinion has for some time past been gradually becoming more strong and more...
4From John Jay to Timothy Pickering, 27 November 1798 (Jay Papers)
I take the Liberty of requesting the favor of you to give the enclosed Letter to M r . King, a place among your next Dispatches to him; it contains a Copy of one I wrote to him in September last, authorizing and requesting him to purchase three thousand musquets and Bayonets for this State— Accept my thanks for the interesting Pamphlet you was so obliging as to send me. The Fate of Geneva...
5To Alexander Hamilton from John Jay, 20 September 1798 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Albany, September 20, 1798. On the back of a letter that Hamilton wrote to Jay on September 17, 1798, Jay wrote : “ansd. 20 Sep. 1798.” Letter not found. ]
6From John Jay to Joshua Mersereau, 6 August 1800 (Jay Papers)
M r . Matthews yesterday delivered to me your very friendly Letter of the 15 th . of last month, for which accept my Thanks— The Repairs and addition making to the House on my farm in west Chester County, have, with other Circumstances, naturally led to the opinion you mention; that I was preparing to retire to private Life. The operation of this opinion renders it expedient that my Intentions...
7From John Jay to John Trumbull, 27 October 1797 (Jay Papers)
I rec d . three Days ago by the post, your Letter of the 7 August, in which was a Copy of the one you had written on the 20 July, and the original of which I had recieved and read with Pleasure. The Difficulty and Delicacy of your Task my good Friend! are obvious, and ^but^ I flatter myself the Reputation to be derived from it, will soften the Trouble & anxiety it gives You. It was not to be...
8To Alexander Hamilton from John Jay, 5 November 1798 (Hamilton Papers)
On the 24 ult. I had the pleasure of writing to you on the Subject of fortifying the port of New York, and the measures preparatory to a Plan for it. Presuming that it has come to your Hands, it will only be necessary for me to inform you, that pursuant to an Intimation contained in it, I shall provide for the Expenses of perfecting the Survey, by immediately writing to Genl. Clarkson, and...
9From John Jay to Richard Peters, 11 September 1799 (Jay Papers)
I have been fav d . with your’s of the 23 Ult: and have conversed fully with the Comptroller on the Subject of the Claim of the State to quit Rent on your Land; and on the Reasons why you should be considered as a bona fide purchasor of the State, and therefore not liable to pay it. From his Statement it would seem that the State did no more relative to the Land than aid you in obtaining the...
10Inventory of John Jay’s Property, 8–9 November 1798 (Jay Papers)
Albany Nov. 1798— 1 List or account of the House and outhouses, & Lot of Ground, occupied by John Jay, in the city of Albany , and owned by James Caldwell of the Town of Water Vliet on the 1 Oct r . 1798— The Lott is on the Southerly Side of State Street, and extends to Street— It’s width being various in different parts, its Dimensions cannot be so clearly described or understood as by...
11From John Jay to Isaac Tichenor, 21 October 1799 (Jay Papers)
I was informed by M r . Kelly shortly before his Death, and by other Gentlemen since, that the Legislature of Vermont had been pleased to pass certain Resolutions authorizing a Grant to me of as much Land as remained necessary to satisfy ^supply^ the Deficiency in the former one. A Hope and Expectation of being at Bennington before Winter, induced me to postpone taking any Measures on the...
12From John Jay to Timothy Pickering, 21 December 1798 (Jay Papers)
I congratulate you on the addresses in answer to the Presidents Speech— so far so good. Accept my thanks for Judge Addisons address— it does him credit— Such publications are useful— Much has lately been said about Societies of united Irishmen in this Country— an original Letter was lately communicated to me, but in a way which renders Secrecy proper— thro the same channel, if not discovered...
13To Alexander Hamilton from John Jay, 22 September 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
On my Return to this place on Friday last, I was favored with yours of the 3d. Instant. It seems that contradictory Reports still prevail respecting our negociations at Paris. I am not yet persuaded that Buonaparte has adopted in all its Extent, the System of Domination which the preceding Rulers of France attempted to execute; and therefore I presume that a Treaty of peace with America on...
14From John Jay to Alexander Hamilton, 25 August 1800 (Jay Papers)
I was this moment fav d . with yours of the 19 th Instant; requesting Copies of the Instructions, and of the Letter mentioned in it. I shall without Delay look for those papers. I presume that I have preserved them, but am not certain. When I removed from my House in the Broadway to the Gov t . House, all such of my Papers as were not in use or which did not respect Property, were packed up...
15From John Jay to Henry Van Schaack, 23 September 1800 (Jay Papers)
Mr Beers has ^ at ^ ^in Compliance with^ ^your Request has^ delivered to me the ^an^ Extract from the Albany Register, which you [ illegible ] for that purpose ^of the 15 of last month—^ which contains the following erroneous Statement of the Expences incurred by the United States for negociating the Treaty with Great Britain, viz t . Dol rs . “Mr. Jay for his outfit to make the Treaty 18000...
16From John Jay to Matthew Clarkson, 14 June 1798 (Jay Papers)
I was this morning fav d . with yours of no date in which as Chairman of the Committees lately appointed by the Citizens of New York you communicate to me their request that the Legislature of the State be speedily convened. There certainly is much weight in the reasons you assign for this request, and I am persuaded that it originates in the best motives— The policy of keeping our City & Port...
17From John Jay to Rufus King, 14 November 1797 (Jay Papers)
Since my last of the 7 th . Inst: I have been fav d . with your’s of the 9 th . Sept r . with the two Pamphlets which you was so obliging as to send with it, and for which accept my thank’s. The one by M r . Burke I have read, and find Remarks in it which will deserve attention—The other I had seen— A late arrival has brought Intelligence of the Explosion at Paris— it opens a wide Field for...
18From John Jay to Alexander Hamilton, 27 August 1800 (Jay Papers)
I rec d . and answered your Letter of the 19 Inst: on Monday— Yesterday I found the Instructions, & immediately wrote to you a Letter containing a Copy of the Paragraph in question. My Search for the Letter of which I made the use you mention, was fruitless until this morning, when I found it, and now enclose a Copy— It does not quite answer your Expectation as to the Opinion— But I know and...
19From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 25 November 1797 (Jay Papers)
Your Letter of the 17 th . Inst. came to hand Yesterday. On my Return from Schenectady the Day before, I rec d . yours by Cap t . Bogart— the Ice still detains his Sloop below— M r . Church may change the Glass at my Expence, but I should prefer having it done in the Spring ^rather^ than during the Winter, for I think it would then be better done. Let the carriage way by the Gate be paved with...
20From John Jay to the Public, 25 April 1797 (Jay Papers)
In Greenleaf’s paper printed at New-York in March last there was a publication of which the following is an extract, viz. “It is curious to estimate the expences which the British Treaty has cost the United States. The account may be stated as follows. Dolls. Ct. “1794 7 th May—The United States advanced for Mr. Jay’s outfit.[”] 18,000 “Of this Mr. Jay must have saved the whole, as his...
21From John Jay to Richard Hatfield, 8 November 1800 (Jay Papers)
Being engaged with company this evening, when the committee appointed by the respectable meeting of Citizens from various parts of the State, of which you was chairman, presented to me their address, I could only return them a verbal answer. But it appears to me proper to answer it in writing, as well as evince my respect, as that my Sentiments on the subject may be the better ascertained. In...
22To Alexander Hamilton from John Jay, 30 August 1798 (Hamilton Papers)
I was this morning favd. with yours of the 27 Inst: I regret the circumstances which prevented our seeing each other when you was here. There are several Topics on which I wish to converse with you, & particularly respecting military arrangements at N York. The Riffle Corps & a few of the new Light Infantry Companies are established—there were Reasons, which I shall mention when we meet, which...
23To Alexander Hamilton from John Jay, 25 January 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I have hitherto postponed making any Communications to our Legislature on the Subject of fortifying the Port of New York, in Expectation of receiving the Result of your proceedings relative to that object. Be pleased to inform me when I may expect it. Since your letter to me of the 19th. of November last, & which I answered on the 26th. of that month, none from you on the Subject in question...
24From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 2 January 1800 (Jay Papers)
On Monday morning last, (being post Day) I recieved from the Post office some news papers, but no Letters. Yesterday Mr. Beers being ^happening to call^ at the post office on Business , recieved ^from^ ^the post master a Letter for me which had been brought by the Monday’s post, and which it seems had escaped his notice —. It was yours of the 25 ult. Having in several Instances had Reason to...
25Message to the New York State Senate, 29 January 1800 (Jay Papers)
At a Court of Oyer and Terminer held in and for the County of Washington, in the month of June last, a certain Benjamin Holmes was convicted of murder, and sentenced to be executed on the fifth Day of August last— At a Court of Oyer and Terminer held in and for the City and County of New York, in the month of November last, a certain John Pastano was convicted of murder, and sentenced to be...
26Address to the New York State Legislature, 2 January 1798 (Jay Papers)
IT must afford sincere and cordial satisfaction to our Fellow Citizens, to see the Representatives whom they have freely chosen, thus peaceably and calmly assemble, to deliberate on their common concerns, and to concert the measures most conducive to their common prosperity. Nor will they derive less satisfaction from the reflection, that at this moment the Representatives of the Nation, of...
27From John Jay to John Adams (private), 10 November 1800 (Jay Papers)
Still pressed by public Business occasioned by the late Session, I take up my pen to write you a few Lines before the Mail closes. It very unexpectedly happened that the Antifœderal party succeeded at the last Election in the City of New York, and acquired a decided majority in the assembly. Well knowing their Views & Temper it was not adviseable that the Speech should contain any Matter...
28From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 18 December 1800 (Jay Papers)
I was this Morning fav[ore] d . with yours of the 12 th . Instant. From your mentioning the Rec t . of mine to you of the 8 th , it may be inferred that no other Letters from me had reached you since the 27 Nov r . which is the Date of your last. Inform me whether any and what Letters of mine have come to your hands since the 27 nov r , that I may know whether any and which of them have...
29To Alexander Hamilton from John Jay, 19 April 1798 (Hamilton Papers)
I have this Instant recd. a Letter dated the 14th. Instant from Judge Hobart, resigning his Seat in the Senate of the united States, and as our Legislature is not now in Session, it hath become my Duty to appoint a Senator to succeed him and take his place, untill the next Meeting of the Legislature. The present delicate State of our public affairs, and the evident Expediency of filling this...
30From John Jay to Grenville, 4 June 1797 (Jay Papers)
A long Interval has passed between the Date of my last Letter, and that of this— they would have been more frequent, had they been exposed to less Risque of Interception. My Respect and Esteem for your Lordship remain unabated; and I yet flatter myself with the pleasure of becoming a better Correspondent. It will give you satisfaction to know that Letters I have rec d . from M r . King and M r...