From John Jay to Phineas Bond, 26 August 1789
To Phineas Bond
NYork 26. augt. 1789
Sir
In Compliance with your Request,1 I have now the Pleasure of communicating to you the Reasons which Influenced the Decision of the late Congress, relative to your Commission of Commissary vizt. That Congress, not having received any Commissaries for commercial Affairs, thought it most prudent not to receive them from any Nation, until their Powers should have been previously ascertained by Agreement; lest as those Appointments were seldom made, & both Parties might entertain not have precisely the same Ideas of the Extent of the Powers & Priviledges annexed to them, disagreeable Questions & Discussions might, ^(& probably would)^ otherwise take place, on those delicate Subjects— With Sentiments of Consideration & Respect I have the Honor to be Sr. your most obt. & hble servt.
Phineas Bond Esqr
Dft, NNC (EJ: 05916); C, DLC: Washington, ser. 2 (EJ: 10064); C, UkLPR: FO 4/7 (EJ: 05044); LbkC, , 4: 72 (EJ: 02367).
1. See Bond to JJ, 11 Aug., and notes, above.