From John Jay to Peter Jay Munro, 14 September 1794
To Peter Jay Munro
London 14 Septr. 1794
Dear Peter
As yet I have recd. but one Letter from you:1 which by the next vessel that sailed I answered.2 I was disappointed in not recieving a Line either from your Aunt or you or any of the Family by the Sansom Capt. Smith who sailed from N York—3
When we arrived here Mrs. White was at Southhampton, from whence she very lately Returnd.— just before she left it, John came to Town & made us a visit— He made Enquiries about you and his Sister in a friendly Manner— expressed his wishes for a Reconciliation and that I would enterpose to bring it about with the old Lady— I observed to him that Interpositions of that kind were seldom useful; and that I believed it was best to leave it to Time— He thereupon intimated that his Mother wished that all Differences might be terminated; and that she would be glad to see me when she came to Town— I told him, I should certainly make her an early visit—4
on hearing that she had returned; I went with Col. Trumbull and Peter to pay our Respects to her— we were recd. in a friendly Manner— nothing very interesting passed on the occasion— nothing but general Inquiries and Conversation took Place— Peter has been there since— last week Mr. Mongan, now Dean Warburton,5 was in Town— he had seen Mrs. White— she expressed a wish to have him and me to dine with her, and asked me when I should be disengaged— I told him any Day in the next week— some Days ago I recd. an Invitation to me and Col. Trumbull & Peter to dine there next Thursday, which I accepted—6
When next you write to me, dont be sparing of Details— I mean such only, as may prudently be trusted to a Letter
You can tell me about the Farm and the Mills, and the Mares & Colts &c. &c. without Risque of Inconveniencies in Case the Letter should miscarry—7
I should like to know also who talks fastest— my Sally, or your Peter— cæteris paribus,8 I should lay on the former.
Before I left you, I requested your particular attention to Old Mary, and desired you to make her comfortable (in Case those who ought to do it, should not) at my Expence. I am anxious to be informed on that Head: for if she should suffer I should be hurt and mortified— I know you have a great Deal to do and to think of—and so have I, and many others— The Claims of Humanity however must always be primary Objects of attention— I make this Remark not from apprehensions of your having neglected my Request, but from the Sollicitude I experience about her. She has been so good to my Father and Mother, and to their Children—& for so long a Course of Years been a faithful ready and affectionate Servant, that in my Opinion she has laid us all under Obligations which her subsequent Faults and Errors can never cancel—and we should never think of her after her Death without Compunction & Remorse, if we permitted her latter Days to wear away in want and misery. —as to the sum I would be willing to advance—it may be best to remove Doubts— advance and charge me with whatever her necessities may require— of those Necessities it is not difficult to judge—9 my Love to Peggy & your Mother Yours sincerely
John Jay
Peter Jay Munro Esqr
ALS, NNMus (EJ: 00427). Addressed. Endorsed: “… recd. 17th. nov.”
1. Probably PJM to JJ, 15 June 1794, above.
3. New York papers announced that the Sansom, John Smith, would sail from New York to London on 23 June. New-York Daily Gazette, 16 June 1794.
4. Eve Van Cortlandt White and John White, mother and brother of PJM’s wife Margaret “Peggy” White Munro. See PAJ to SLJ, 29 June 1794, above, and PJM to JJ, 19 Nov. 1794, below. The feud with “the old lady” may have stemmed from PJM’s elopement with Peggy White, as well as political differences.
5. Terrance Charles Mongan (1754–1826), an Irish Catholic turned Anglican cleric, who had served in America as a military chaplain. He adopted the surname of Warburton by royal warrant in 1792 and served as the Dean of Ardagh (1790–1800); later Anglican bishop of Limerick.
6. PAJ noted on 18 Sept. in his diary, “We dined with Mrs. White of New York—”. PAJ Diary A, AD, NNC.
7. For PJM’s handling of JJ’s business affairs, see PJM to JJ, 15 June 1794, and the editorial note, “John Jay’s Mission to London,” both above, and PJM’s reply to JJ of 19 Nov. 1794, below.
8. “cæteris paribus”: All other things being equal. See PJM to JJ, 19 Nov. 1794, below. PJM confirmed JJ’s belief that his daughter would talk faster.
9. “Old Mary” refers to an elderly enslaved woman who had belonged to JJ’s father Peter, and who, under the terms of his will in 1782, was free to choose her subsequent master. JJ was apparently offering to provide for her proper care if the later owner was not doing so. JJ was still contributing to her support in 1824. See , 2: 721; JJ to PAJ, 4 Nov. 1824, ALS, NNC (EJ: 06284); FC, NyKaJJH (EJ: 09993).