From John Adams to John Jay, 19 April 1787
To John Jay
London April 19. 1787
Dear Sir
I do myself the Honour to inclose the New Act of Parliament for regulating the Trade between the Territories of the United states of America and the Dominions of the King of Great Britain, by which Congress will see that the Same System continues, and is fortified with fresh Provisions.1 Provisions & Lumber, the Growth or Production of the United States are now, prohibited, from any foreign Island. The West India Planters and Merchants complain, to no purpose.
The Canada Merchants give out, that there is some Negotiation on foot between Lord Dorchester and Vermont, the Object of which is to give Vent to the Productions of that Territory, thro Canada and the River st. Lawrence, that the West Indies may derive some Assistance, from that Source.
inclosed is another very curious Bill, that moved in the House of Lords by one Chancellor and Seconded by another, Thurloe & Bathurst: But the Lords had honour enough to reject it. The Project is Said to have originated in General Arnold.—2 The whole Transaction Shows the Spirit of the present Ministry. The Chance of passing Such a Bill would have been greater in the House of Commons, where the Ministers have a clearer Majority. Some Persons are of Opinion that the present sett cannot hold the Reigns much longer: but if they are not mistaken there is little Chance of a Change for the better. What Effect the Changes in France may have cannot be foreseen: but they cannot but be favourable to America.
With great Regard, I have the Honour / to be, sir your most obedient and / most humble servant
John Adams
RC (PCC, No. 84, VI, f. 443–444); internal address: “His Excellency John Jay / Secretary of State &c &c &c.” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 112.
1. The enclosed bill has not been found, but it was “An Act to continue the Laws now in Force for regulating the Trade between the Subjects of His Majesty’s Dominions and the Inhabitants of the Territories belonging to the United States of America, and to render the Provisions thereof more effectual” (Journals of the House of Commons, repr. ed., London, 1803– , 42:613). Prior acts permitted American ships to carry American goods to the West Indies, but this act restricted the carrying trade to British made and owned ships. The new act, passed in 1787, prohibited imports from any American territory into Quebec. On 18 April, Sir Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester, also strove to answer the demands of frontiersman Ethan Allen and others by permitting imports of food, livestock, and naval stores from Vermont via the Lake Champlain route (E. P. Walton, ed., Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont, 8 vols., Montpelier, Vt., 1873–1880, 3:402; Donald Creighton, The Empire of the St. Lawrence, rev. edn., Boston, 1958, p. 104–105).
2. Not found. The proposed bill, “An Act for the better preventing vexatious Suits being brought for the Recovery of Debts contracted in America, previous to the Treaty of Peace with the United States,” would have barred Americans from collecting prewar debts contracted by loyalists whose property had been confiscated (London Packet, 4 April; , 8:37).
It is unclear what role, if any, Benedict Arnold had in composing the rejected bill, because he had left England in Oct. 1785 and sailed to Canada to set up a mercantile enterprise in St. John, New Brunswick. Arnold’s business collapsed and he returned to London in 1792 (vols. 17:557–558; 18:42, 45).