To John Jay from Peter Augustus Jay, 3 October 1821
From Peter Augustus Jay
Albany 3 Oct 1821—
My dear father
I have received your letter of the 25 Sept. & another from Mary of the 1st. inst.1 mentions that she & the children were at New York & that Nancy & Aunt Symmes had arrived & were well. I saw less of Nancy here than I could have wished, but she left this city in better health, than she was in when she came, I wish it may continue to improve—& that Marias might also change for the better.
Morris S. Miller2 is here, & wishes to know if you will sell the lands under his charge. He thinks he can sell them to settlers at 3 & 4 Dols an Acre, & that it is better to do so than to let them lay idle. I promised to ask your Instructions on the subject.
In the convention there is manifestly a jacobinical party. They have decided in favor of universal suffrage. Yesterday & today there has been an effort made to replace the old council of Appointment by another not less objectionable— It is too powerful a weapon to be resigned by the party possessing it without a struggle. The how effort however failed, finding that it would not succeed all the leaders except the V. Prest. backed out & when the yeas & nays were called only nine dared vote for it— How to dispose of the power of appointing county Officers is now a difficult problem, and one on which we are much divided.3 For my own part I am very much embarrassed.
I have been sincerely sorry to hear of the Death of Mr. Grant,4 & wish his place may be supplied by as good a Man. I have been applied to on behalf of a Presbyterian Clergyman, or more properly on behalf of his friends, to let them know the salary which the presbyterian congregation of Bedford give to their Minister. I did not know. are you acquainted with it?
I shall rejoice to get away from this place, especially if we do less mischief than I at present fear. It is questionable whether we shall adjourn till next month—5 I am my dear father Your affectionate son
Peter Augustus Jay
John Jay Esqr
My love to William & sisters.
ALS, NNC (EJ: 06250). Addressed: “John Jay Esqr / Bedford / Westchester County / N.Y” Note: “12/”. Endorsed: “… ansd. 9 Octr. 1821 / mr. morris miller advises Sale / of Land under his care / referred it to Discretion of P.A. Jay”.
1. Letters not found.
2. Judge of the court of common pleas, Oneida County. Formerly JJ’s secretary. See Morris S. Miller for JJ to John Barber and Solomon Southwick, 9 Oct. 1798, 6: 700–701.
3. The debate over the Council of Appointment at the Constitutional Convention of 1821, which began 28 Aug. 1821 at Albany. U.S. Vice-President Daniel D. Tompkins was elected President of the Convention with 94 votes of 110. Rufus King had 8 votes. Reports of the Convention of 1821, 27–29.
4. Rev. Ebenezer Grant. See JJ to PAJ, 25 Jan. 1819, above.
5. The Convention adjourned on 10 Nov. 1821. Reports of the Convention of 1821, v.