John Jay Papers
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From John Jay to Richard Law, 10 March 1790

To Richard Law

New York 10 March 1790

Sir

I have been favored with yours of the 24 of last month,1 and am much obliged to You for the polite attention manifested in it.—

On recieving your Letter, I conversed with the Engraver whom the Clerk of the Sup Court had employed to cut Seals for the Circuit Courts— The one for Connecticut was not yet begun— I pressed him to prepare it without Delay; not concieving myself at Liberty to deviate from the order of the Sup. Court, by which they had committed this Business to the managemt. of their Clerk.

Judge Cushing is to ride with me the Northern Circuit, Judge Wilson [and] Judge Blair will take the middle, and Judge Rutledge & Judge Iredell the Southern.

It appears to me adviseable to respect ancient usages in all Cases where Deviations from them are of ^not^ of essential Importance. In my opinion the Judges on the circuits should in the first Instance be recd. in the manner accustomed with respect to the Judges of the State Sup. Courts. If alterations should be expedient, they may be better introduced afterwards.

No particular Dress has as yet been assigned for the Judges on the Circuits. The custom in New England of a Clergyman’s attending, should in my Opinion be observed and continued. For accommodations I presume there can be no Difficulty in any of the Towns in which the courts are to be held in New England— I wish to lodge in a clean orderly Inn, for as to the manner in which the Table may be served, it is among the least and last of my Cares. I thank you Sir! very Sincerely for your kind Attention, and am with great Esteem, Your most obt. & h’ble Servt.

John Jay

The Honble Richd. Law Esqr.

ALS, MiDW (EJ: 04053). Addressed: “The Honble / Richd. Law Esqr./Judge of the United States for / the Connecticut District Court— / New London”. Franked: “… March 16.” Endorsed.

1. Richard Law (1733–1806) of New London, district court judge for Connecticut from 1789 to 1806, served with JJ and Cushing on the Circuit Court in Connecticut in the Spring 1790 session. Admitted to the bar in 1755, Law was a delegate from Connecticut to the Continental Congress and mayor of New London before being appointed a judge to the state Superior Court (1784–89). Law collaborated with Roger Sherman on a codification of state laws, Acts and Laws of the State of Connecticut, in America (New London, 1784; Early Am. Imprints description begins Early American Imprints, series 1: Evans, 1639–1800 [microform; digital collection], edited by American Antiquarian Society, published by Readex, a division of Newsbank, Inc. Accessed: Columbia University, New York, N.Y., 2006–16, http://infoweb.newsbank.com/; Early American Imprints, series 2: Shaw-Shoemaker, 1801–1819 [microform; digital collection], edited by American Antiquarian Society, published by Readex, a division of Newsbank, Inc. Accessed: Columbia University, New York, N.Y., 2006–16, http://infoweb.newsbank.com/ description ends , no. 18409). See DHSC description begins Maeva Marcus et al. eds., The Documentary History of the Supreme Court of the United States, 1789–1800 (8 vols.; New York, 1985–2007) description ends , 2: 11, 49.

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    Jay Papers
    Title
    From John Jay to Richard Law, 10 March 1790
    Author
    Jay, John
    Recipient
    Law, Richard
    Date
    10 March 1790

    Reference

    Cite as
    “From John Jay to Richard Law, 10 March 1790,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jay/01-05-02-0129. [Original source: The Selected Papers of John Jay, vol. 5, 1788–1794, ed. Elizabeth M. Nuxoll. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2017, pp. 212–213.]