1From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 19 December 1775 (Jay Papers)
How it came to pass I know not, but so the Fact is, that neither of your Letters to me came to Hand till the Day before Yesterday, when they were delivered to the President by Gen. Schuylers last Express. Mr. Duane just now accidentally told me that your Brother was about to leave this Town, and I am now retired to the Lobby, in a Hurry to say a Word or two to you. I confess I was a little...
2From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 25 February 1776 (Jay Papers)
Your Letter of the 15 th : Inst. informs me that you continue indisposed and that you are nursing yourself at Home—I am sorry for both—The first alarms me, & second on acc t of your Health & the second forebodes your being long sick. Amusement & Exercise are ought to be your Objects—At Home you can have little of either, Domestic Concerns, Variety of Business & twenty things going wrong for...
3From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 29 May 1776 (Jay Papers)
The Pleasure I expected from meeting ^ a Junction of ^ our little Families at Bristol has vanished. Doct r Bard tells me the Waters there are not adapted would be injurious to Mrs. Jays Complaints, so that I shall again take a solitary Ride to Philadelphia whenever the Convention who have directed me to abide here till their further Order, shall think proper to dismiss me. I wish I could have...
4From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 1 July 1776 (Jay Papers)
I returned to this City about Noon this Day from Eliz h .Town, & to my great mortification am informed that our Convention influenced by one of G. Morris vagrant Plans have adjourned to the White Plains to meet there Tomorrow. This precipitate ill advised Retreat I fear will be not a little injurious to the publick—The Prosecution of the Late Discoveries of Gov r . Tryons Plot will be delayed,...
Your Letter of the 26 Instant was this Evening delivered to me. When I was called last from Convention, a Clause in the Report of the form of Government had been by a [ illegible ] very great Majority agreed to, instituting a Council for the appointm t of military and many civil Officers, including Clerks of Courts ; and tho’ I publicly advocated and voted for that Clause, you express much...
6From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 13 January 1779 (Jay Papers)
Not a single Line have you rec d . from me since my arrival. This you may say does not look very friendly— I confess it: and what is more in my Favor feel it. Business I know cannot excuse a total Silence, tho it may palliate a partial one. I wont plead it, for I never admitted it—nor do I now write merely to keep fair with my own Principles— Inclination, more than Consistency, prompts me on...
7From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 14 March 1779 (Jay Papers)
M r . Sands delivered me your Fav r . of the 4 th . Inst. Yesterday. It gave me much Pleasure. The Length, the Subjects and the Spirit of it pleased ^ me ^ . Dont apologize for Egotisms, for I would much rather recieve them than not. Unless the Pain my last occasioned was severe, I dont regret it. That You have deserved well of your Country is agreed, and that you became latterly a little...
I address this Letter to you both because I have not time by this opportunity to write to each separately. In a few Days I shall write you both particularly. M r . Gerards being about to sail happily prevailed upon Congress to proceed rapidly & unanimously in arranging their foreign Affairs— Young Coll Laurens is going Secretary to Doct r Franklin, and had the general approbation of Congress...
9From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 25 October 1779 (Jay Papers)
Accept my Thanks for your very friendly Letter— It recalled to my Mind many Circumstances on which it always dwells with Pleasure. I should have been happy in a personal Interview before my Departure, but since that has become impossible, let us endeavour to supply it by a regular and constant correspondence. To render this the more useful & satisfactory a Cypher will be necessary— There are...
10From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 24 December 1779 (Jay Papers)
My Letters from S t . Pierre a few Days ago will inform you of the Misfortunes that drove us here. Mons r . Le Mothe Piquet was yesterday so obliging as to order the Aurora a french Frigate of 36 Guns to carry us to France, and we are to sail on Tuesday next— so that we hope before the month of March to take Leave of the Ocean, to whose Civilities we are not half so much indebted as to the...
11From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 23 May 1780 (Jay Papers)
Accept my Thanks, and cordial ones they are, for your friendly Letter of the 22 d . Dec r . last, which I had the Pleasure of recieving a few Days ago. It gives me no less Surprize than Regret to hear that the Letters I wrote you shortly before my Departure from Philadelphia (one of which contained a Cypher) have never reached You. I have been looking among my Papers for the Drafts, but find...
12From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 6 October 1780 (Jay Papers)
Your Favor of the 6 July came to Hand Yesterday— This & two others viz of the 6 Oct r . and 22 Dec r are all the Letters I have had from you since I left America. How could you discontinue writing because you rec d . no Letter from me while at Martinico? I am almost tempted to say it was unkind— You have seen my Letters to Congress from that Island, & can easily guess at the Number of those I...
13From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 25 April 1781 (Jay Papers)
I scarcely ever address you in the familiar Stile, but I am insensibly led to reflect on what Clermont & we were fifteen or sixteen Years ago—nature seems to have given me a Propensity to Reverie, and I have long found pleasure in endulging it. past Scenes recalled to view in this Species of perspective appear much softned—the lesser asperities are lost in the Distance, and the more pleasing...
14From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 6 February 1782 (Jay Papers)
The Secretary of the Minister of State sent me Yesterday Morning your Favor of the 13 th . December last marked N o . 3. accompanied by a Duplicate of your Letter of 28 th . November marked N o . 2. Copy of a Resolution of Congress of 30 th . Oct r . & 2 d . November, . . . stating Quotas of Money. . . . of 23
15From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 13 February 1782 (Jay Papers)
Maj Franks has delivered the my Dispatches to Cap t . Manly who I hope will deliver them together with this Letter to You These Dispatches were directed to Congress because at that Time I was ignorant of your Appointment. They properly belong to your Department, and I not only authorize but desire you to treat them exactly as if they had been directed to you and not to the President of...
16From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 16 February 1782 (Jay Papers)
No Letters by the Marquis de la Fayette have as yet reached me. I had the Honor of writing to you on the 6 th . and 13 th . Instant. We were Yesterday informed, and so the Fact is, that the Castle of S t . Philip surrendered by Capitulation to the Duke De Crillon on the 4 th . Instant. There was no Breach made, nor any of the out Works taken. The Garrison are to go to England, and remain...
17From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 18 February 1782 (Jay Papers)
I wrote to you a short Letter on the 16 th . Instant. I have procured a Copy of the Gazette to be published To-morrow, and I send enclosed as much of it as contains the Articles of Capitulation for Fort S t . Philip. This Event takes place very opportunely, and will have a fine Effect in England. Things begin to look more promising; But I avoid particulars for a Week or two, that I may have a...
18From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 14 March 1782 (Jay Papers)
Count Montfort will be the Bearer of this Letter— He was formerly Maj r . of Count Pulaski’s Legion, & on leaving America, resigned that Commission. He has the passed many months here, and is now setting out for Cadiz with Design to sail in the first Vessel from thence to Philadelphia— He expresses a strong Desire to be employed in our Country, and to which from the Consistency of his...
19From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 28 April 1782 (Jay Papers)
My Letter to his Excellency the President of Congress of 3 d . of October last, of which a Copy has ^ also ^ been since sent, contained a full and accurate account of their Affairs here. Many minute, and not very interesting details of little difficulties were omitted, and among others those which arose from my having no funds for the Bills payable in October and November &c. &c. The...
20From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 14 May 1782 (Jay Papers)
A Letter from Doct r . Franklin calls me to Paris— I set off in about five Days—he has doubtless written to You on this Subject. Maj r . Franks is on the way to You with Dispatches from me— be pleased to direct ^ send ^ your future Letters for me, under Cover to Doct r Franklin— No Inconveniences will at present be caused by my absence. The Instructions intended for M r Del Campo are to be...
21From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 14 June 1782 (Jay Papers)
My Letter of the 11 May mentioned my being called to Paris by a Letter from D r Franklin—our Journey thus far afforded much variety, and excepting some bad Roads, Fleas, & Bugs, was not unpleasant—both Spanish and French Biscay contain a number of romantic pretty Scenes, and I assure you we found ourselves perfectly disposed to enjoy the Beauties of this charming Season— Our Health has been...
22From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 25 June 1782 (Jay Papers)
My letters from Madrid, and afterwards a few lines from Bordeaux, informed you of my being called to this place by a pressing letter from Dr. Franklin. The slow manner of travelling in a Carriage through Spain, M rs . Jay’s being taken with a Fever & Ague the Day we left Bordeaux, and the Post Horses at the different Stages having been engaged for the Count du Nord, who had left Paris with a...
23From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 28 June 1782 (Jay Papers)
I had the pleasure of writing to You on the 25 th . Instant— As the Express which is to carry that Letter, will not depart ’till To morrow Morning, I have a good Opportunity of making this Addition to my Dispatches. Agreeable to the Desire of Congress, as well as my own Wishes, I have had the Satisfaction of conferring with the Marquis de la Fayette, on several interesting Subjects. He is as...
24From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 13 August 1782 (Jay Papers)
Almost ever since my arrival here I have had and still have a sick Family. The epidemic Disorder which has spread throughout the northern parts of Europe, has been severe upon us. I am free from it at present, but it has taken from me some Flesh & much Strength. M rs Jay has frequent attacks of an intermitting Fever, and our little Girl is not yet quite wholly out of Danger. Your Letter of the...
25From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 4 September 1782 (Jay Papers)
I wrote to You on the 13 Ult. a Copy of that Letter enclosing one for your good mother, and one for M r Benson, was given last Week to M r Wright, who had appointed last Thursday for setting out to Nantes in order to embark there for America. He is still here, but leaves Paris Tomorrow. This gives me an Opportunity of writing you a few Lines more, for tho’ I daily gain Strength, yet the...
26From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 18 September 1782 (Jay Papers)
I send you herewith enclosed a Copy of a Translation of an important Letter*. The Original in French I have not seen, and at present is not accessible to me, though I shall endeavor to get a Copy of it, in Order the better to decide on the Correctness of the Translation. I am not at Liberty to mention the manner in which this Paper came to my Hands. To me it appears of Importance that it...
27From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 28 September 1782 (Jay Papers)
I have only time to inform you that our objections to M r Oswalds first Commission have produced a second which arrived Yesterday— It empowers him to treat with the Commissioners of the thirteen United States of America— I am preparing some very interesting ^ a longer Letter on this ^ Subject, but as this Intelligence is interesting I take the earliest opportunity of communicating it With...
28From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 13 October 1782 (Jay Papers)
I hope my Letter to you of the 18 th September, of which I also sent a Duplicate, has come safe to hand, for it contained important Matter— namely a Copy of a Letter from Marbois to the Count de Vergennes against our sharing in the Fishery This Court advised and persuaded us to treat with Oswald under his first Commission, I positively refused Aranda will not or can not exchange powers with...
29From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 17 November 1782 (Jay Papers)
Although it is uncertain when I shall have an opportunity either of finishing or transmitting the long particular ^ Letter ^ which I am now undertaking to write, I think the matter it will contain is too interesting to rest only in my Memory, or in short Notes, which nobody but myself can well unfold the meaning of. I shall therefore write on as my health will permit, and when finished shall...
30From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 7 December 1782 (Jay Papers)
On the 18 July last D r . Franklin paid me nine months Salary due on that Day— I have not taken up any money on the Bills sent by you on that account, because until the 18 Oct r . another quarter did not become due. I mentioned this more at large in a former Letter, and desired you to pay a Sum of money to M r Benson for the use of my Family at Poghkeepsie— I fear their Situation is not easy,...