John Jay Papers
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To John Jay from William Bingham, 10 March 1784

From William Bingham

London March 10th 1784

Dear Sir,

I received your agreable Letter of the 22d. Novemr1 & exceedingly regret your Speedy Intention of Speedily departing for America, more especially as it will deprive Mrs Bingham & myself of the pleasure of personally assuring Mrs Jay & you of our own affectionate Regards—

We shall leave England in the Beginning of May, & Shall take Holland in our Route to Spa, where we intend to remain about two Months, & expect to be in Paris about September—

I Sincerely wish you every possible Happiness, & that agreable Reception in America, which your assiduous & Successfull Endeavors in the public Service, So amply merit.

It is not only in the periodical Publication that you allude to, that the Affairs of America are treated with Partiality & Prejudice;— The People at large are unfavorable to our Interests, & cannot assume a Sufficient Degree of Magnanimity, to forgive the Injuries they have Sustained, from a Pursuit of the American War;— However, Administration seems at present more disposed to listen to just & equitable Terms of Commercial Intercourse with the United States, than when you were here; The Distresses of the Islands, in Consequence of the unwise Measures of Government, have occasioned warm Petitions to be presented, requesting an immediate Change of System, as essential to their Salvation;— The vigorous Steps of Retaliation, pursuing by the States, have likewise assisted in bringing them to Reason;— Maryland has passed a Law imposing Such heavy Duties on the Entry & Clearance of British Shipping in her Ports, as to operate as a Prohibition, which deprives this Country of a most valuable Branch of Commerce— I hope the other States will follow the Example, which will soon convince this Kingdom, of the Infatuation of their present Conduct—2

Two contending Factions in the House of Commons, have for some Time past occasioned a total Suspension of all the efficient Powers of Government;— The Ministry have at length gained some little Advantage;—but the Power & Influence of both Parties are so nearly ballanced, that without an Union, this Country must continue to exhibit a Scene of great Anarchy & Confusion.

And the Views & Principles of the respective Leaders, are so very dissimilar, that I do not see, how they can coalesce, & at the same Time preserve their Honor, or their Reputation for Consistency of Conduct—

If I can render you any Services in this Place, you know with what Freedom you may lay your Commands on me, & with what pleasure I shall execute them— I am with great Regard Dear Sir, Your affecte Friend & obedt hble servt

Wm. Bingham

PS Our Lottery Ticket No 2989 has unfortunately proved a Blank—

ALS, NNC (EJ: 7501). Addressed: “Son Excellence / Jean Jay / Chaillot / pres de Paris—” Added in an unidentified hand: “Hôtel d’hauche”. Endorsed: “ . . . recd 13 May 1784”.

1A slip of the pen for JJ’s 22 Feb. 1784 letter, Dft, NNC (EJ: 7483).

2In December 1783 the Maryland legislature imposed a duty of five shillings per ton on British vessels using Maryland ports and a two percent ad valorem duty on British goods imported on British ships. Laws of Maryland, made and passed at a session of Assembly, begun and held at Annapolis, on Monday the third of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three (Annapolis, 1784), chap. 24 (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 News-bank, Inc. Accessed: Columbia University, New York, N.Y., 2006–11, http://infoweb.newsbank.com/ description ends , no. 18578). Other states subsequently adopted retaliatory measures but efforts to orchestrate a unified response failed until addressed by the Constitutional Convention. See PRM description begins E. James Ferguson et al., eds., The Papers of Robert Morris, 1781–1784 (9 vols.; Pittsburgh, Pa., 1973–99) description ends , 8: 544–46.

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