21From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 23 April 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
In my letter of Mar. 12. I had the honour of explaining to you the motives which had brought me to this place. A joint letter from Mr. Adams and myself, sent by the last packet, informed you of the result of our conferences with the Tripoline minister. The conferences with the minister of Portugal have been drawn to a greater length than I expected. However, every thing is now agreed and the...
22From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 12 May 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I am this moment returned from Versailles, and it is the last moment allowed me to write by this occasion. The Tiers etat remain unshaken in their resolution to do no business with the other orders but voting by persons. The Nobles are equally determined and by a majority of ⅘ or ⅚ to vote only by orders. Committees of accomodation indeed are appointed, but with little prospect of effect....
23From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 25 September 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
The various calamities which during the present year have befallen our crops of wheat, have reduced them so very low as to leave us little more than seed for the ensuing year, were it to be solely applied to that purpose. This country is therefore unable to furnish the necessary supplies of flour for the Convention troops, without lessening by so much as should be purchased, the sowing for...
24From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 11 May 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
As it frequently happens that we cannot meet with passengers going hence to the packet to whom we may commit our letters, and it may be often necessary to write to you on subjects improper for the inspection of this government to which the letters by post are subject, I have made out a cypher which I now inclose and deliver to young Mr. Adams who will have the honor of delivering you this. The...
25To John Jay from Thomas Jefferson, 12 July 1793 (Jay Papers)
The President of the United States, being desirous of asking the advice of the Judges of the Supreme Court of the United States, on certain matters of great public concern, requests your attendance at this place on Thursday the 18 th . instant. It is on his particular charge that I have the honor of informing you of this. I have that of being with sentiments of great respect and esteem, Sir,...
26From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 15 August 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
An American gentleman leaving Paris this afternoon to go by the way of Lorient to Boston furnishes me the rare occasion of a conveiance, other than the Packet, sure and quick. My letter by the packet informed you of the bed of justice for enregistering the stamp tax and land tax. The parliament, on their return, came to an Arreteé (a Resolution) which, besides protesting against the...
27From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 19 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Our delegates by the last post informed us that we might now obtain blank letters of marque for want of which our people have long and exceedingly suffered. I have taken the liberty therefore of desiring them to apply for fifty, and transmit them by a safe conveyance. The inclosed order being in it’s nature important and generally interesting, I thought it my duty to lay it before Congress as...
28From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 14 January 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
In my letter of the 11th I have said nothing of the Arret explanatory of that of Sep. 28. on the subject of whale oils, which my letter of Nov. 19. gave you reason to expect. Tho this explanatory arret has been passed so long ago as the 7th. of December it has not been possible for me to obtain an authentic copy of it till last night. I now inclose that to you with a copy of a letter to me...
29From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 22 September 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
When I had the honor of addressing you this morning, intelligence was handing about which I did not think well enough authenticated to communicate to you. As it is now ascertained, I avail myself of the chance that another post may yet reach Havre before the departure of the packet. This will depend on the wind which has for some days been unfavorable. I must premise that this court about 10....
30From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 27 October 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
By a confidential opportunity to London I had the honour of writing to you on the 23d. instant, and of inclosing you the original letter of Monsieur de Calonnes to me on the subject of our commerce. As it is probable however that the French packet which is to sail from Lorient the 1st. of the next month will sooner reach you, I inclose some printed copies of the same letter by that conveiance,...
31[From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 9 February 1785] (Jefferson Papers)
[ Paris, 9 Feb. 1785 . Entry in SJL reads: “John Jay. The Marq. Fay. gives us hopes he will accept Sec. F. A.—war and peace doubtful—Bav. and Austr. neth.—Prussia and Dantzic settled—distractions of Holld. continue. Hastings and E.I. affairs difficult for Brit. parliament—have forgot us—we must urge them as to separate articles—expect by packet which sails in Feb. to receive orders about...
32From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 29 July 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
Having received the inclosed letter from Julien Laurent claiming his wages as Volunteer on board the Bonhomme Richard, I have the honour of forwarding it to you, supposing it will of course be referred to the proper office to take order on. I have the honour to be with sentiments of the most perfect esteem and respect Sir Your most obedient & most humble servt., RC ( DNA : PCC , No. 87, ii )....
33From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 15 March 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Since closing my letters which accompany this I have received an answer from London on the subject of the other volumes of Deane’s letters and accounts suggested to be still in his possession. This information renders it certain that none such are in his possession, and probable that no others exist but the two which I have purchased. I am in hopes therefore we may conclude that the recovery...
34From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 14 February 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
In the letter of the 8th. instant which I had the honour of writing you, I informed you of the illness of the Count de Vergennes. In one of the present date which I send by the way of London, I have notified to you his death which happened yesterday morning, and that the Count de Montmorin is appointed his successor, with whose character you are personally acquainted. As the winds have been...
35From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 30 August 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
My letters being to go by the way of London, and the person not departing till tomorrow morning, I am enabled to inclose with the other papers Mr. Necker’s memoir proposing a loan of 80. millions, and to inform you that 10. or 12. millions are already subscribed, and that it is believed that the whole will be filled in good time.— I take the liberty also to inclose to you the application of a...
36From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 17 October 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
By the Cato, Capt. Seton, bound from Havre to New York, I had the honor to address to you four packages referred to in the inclosed bill of lading, and more particularly explained in a letter committed to the care of Mr. Pitcairn, supercargo of the same vessel.—After being detained three weeks by contrary winds at Havre and this place, I am now on the point of sailing, our ship being just now...
37To John Jay from Thomas Jefferson, 25 January 1786 (Jay Papers)
I received on the 18 th . instant your private favor of Dec. 9. and thank you for the confidence you are so good as to repose in me, of which that communication is a proof: as such it is a gratification to me, because it meets the esteem I have ever borne you. But nothing was needed to keep my mind right on that subject, and I believe I may say the public mind here. the sentiments entertained...
38From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 21 January 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Having had the honour of addressing you so lately as the 11th. and 14th. instant, I should not so soon have troubled you again but that since the departure of those letters I have received one from the Count de la Luzerne of which I now send a copy, together with another copy of the Arret of Dec. 7. lest the former should be longer getting to you. You will perceive that the Ministry press for...
39From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 7 November 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
By a letter of the 2d. inst. from the Count de Moustier I perceive he is still at Brest. The wind has now been near a month in the South-Western quarter, and if it remains there a few days longer, my dispatches by the packet may reach you as soon as those by Monsr. de Moustier. This being the last post which can reach the packet, should she sail on the 10th. I avail myself of it to inform you...
40From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 11 May 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
I was honoured on the 2d. instant with the receipt of your favor of Mar. 15. inclosing the resolution of Congress of the 10th. of the same month appointing me their Minister plenipotentiary at this court; and also of your second letter of Mar. 22. covering the commission and letter of credence for that appointment. I beg permission through you, Sir, to testify to Congress my gratitude for this...
41From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 10 August 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
I have waited till the last moment of Mrs. Barclay’s departure to write you the occurrences since my letter of the 3d. instant. We have received the Swedish account of an engagement between their fleet and the Russian on the Baltic, wherein they say they took one and burnt another Russian vessel with the loss of one on their side, and that the victory remained with them. They say at the same...
42From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 8 February 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
The packet being to sail the day after tomorrow, I have awaited the last possible moment of writing by her, in hopes I might be able to announce some favorable change in the situation of the Count de Vergennes. But none has occurred, and in the mean time he has become weaker by the continuance of his illness. Tho’ not desperately ill, he is dangerously so. The Comptroller General M. de...
43From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 5 September 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you on the 3d. instant, and have this day received Mr. Remsen’s favor of July 25 . written during your absence at Poughkeepsie, and inclosing the ratification of the loan of a million of florins for which Mr. Adams had executed bonds at Amsterdam in March last. The expediency of that loan resulting from an estimate made by Mr. Adams and myself, and that estimate having been laid before...
44From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 3 January 1783 (Jefferson Papers)
Having arrived here a few days ago in order to proceed to Europe, I had hoped to have been able to accompany the Generals Rochambaud and Chastellux, the latter of whom is so kind as to undertake the delivery of this. But their vessel sails before I can be ready. I shall follow however in a very few days and may perhaps have the pleasure of being with you as soon as this will. Had I joined you...
45From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 30 May 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
A further delay of Mr. Warville enables me to acknolege the receipt of your letter of April 24. by Mr. Paradise. Nothing new has occurred since the date of my other letters which go by this conveiance: except that about one third of the Baillages have accepted their appointments. If the others pretty generally should do the same, and the Chatelet be brought over it will place government pretty...
46From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 13 March 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Adams having announced to our bankers here his approaching departure from Europe, and referred them to me for counsel on our affairs in their hands, they sent me a state of them, and of the difficulties which were pressing at the moment, and impending more seriously for the month of June. They were urging me by almost every post on this subject. In this situation, information of Mr....
47From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 11 April 1783 (Jefferson Papers)
In a letter which I did myself the honor of writing you by the Chevalr. de Chastellux I informed you of my being at this place with an intention of joining you in Paris. But the uncommon vigilance of the enemy’s cruisers immediately after the departure of the French fleet deterred every vessel from attempting to go out. The arrival of the preliminaries soon after shewed the impropriety of my...
48From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 23 November 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I think it my duty to inform you that I am this day arrived here after a passage of 26. days from and to land. By the Montgomery, Capt. Bunyan, which sailed from Cowes at the same time with us, I had the honor of addressing you and of sending you the Letter book and account book of Silas Deane, which I put into the hands of Mr. Trumbul, who I presume is arrived at New York. According to what I...
49From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 25 January 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I received on the 18th. instant your private favor of Dec. 9. and thank you for the confidence you are so good as to repose in me, of which that communication is a proof. As such it is a gratification to me, because it meets the esteem I have ever borne you. But nothing was needed to keep my mind right on that subject, and I believe I may say the public mind here. The sentiments entertained of...
50From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 24 June 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
My letter of the 17th. and 18th. inst. gave you the progress of the 17th States general to the 17th. when the Tiers had declared the illegality 18th of all the existing taxes, and their discontinuance from the end of their present session. The next day being a jour de fete could furnish no indication of the impression that vote was likely to 19th make on the government. On the 19th. a council...
51From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 3 November 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
My last letters to you were of the 8th. and 27th. of October. In the former I mentioned to you the declaration of this country that they would interpose with force if the Prussian troops entered Holland, the entry of those troops into Holland, the declaration of England that if France did oppose force they would consider it as an act of war, the naval armaments on both sides, nomination of the...
52From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 23 October 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
In a letter of Jan. 2. I had the honor of communicating to you the measures which had been pursued here for the improvement of the commerce between the U.S. and France, the general view of that commerce which I had presented to the C. de Vergennes, the circumstance of the renewal of the farms which had obliged me to press separately and in the first place, the article of tobacco, and that...
53From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 4 May 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the honour of receiving at Aix your letter of Feb. 9. and immediately wrote to the Count de Montmorin, explaining the delay of the answer of Congress to the king’s letter, and desired Mr. Short to deliver that answer with my letter to Monsieur de Montmorin , which he accordingly informs me he has done. My absence prevented my noting to you in the first moment the revolution which has...
54From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 14 November 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
In my letter of Dec. 21. 1787. I had the honour of acknoleging the receipt of your two favours of July 27. 1787. which had come to my hands Dec. 19. and brought with them my full powers for treating on the subject of the Consular convention. Being then much engaged in getting forward the Arret which came out the 29th. of Dec. and willing to leave some interval between that act, and the...
55From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, with Enclosure, 12 November 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
In a letter which I had the honor of writing you on the 26th. of Sep. I informed you that a Dutch company were making propositions to the Minister of finance here to purchase at a discount the debt due from the U.S. to this country. I have lately procured a copy of their memoir, which I now inclose. Should Congress think this subject worthy their attention, they have no time to lose, as the...
56From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, with Enclosure, 23 May 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
When I wrote my letter of the 4th. inst. I had no reason to doubt that a packet would have sailed on the 10th. according to the established order. The passengers had all, except one, gone to Havre in this expectation. None however is sailed, and perhaps none will sail, as I think the suppression of the packets is one of the oeconomies in contemplation. An American merchant concerned in the...
57To John Jay from Thomas Jefferson, 4 May 1788 (Jay Papers)
I had the honor of addressing you in two letters of the 13 th . & 16 th . of March from Amsterdam, and have since received mr Remsen’s of Feb. 20. I staid at Amsterdam about 10. or 12 days after the departure of mr Adams in hopes of seeing the million of the last year filled up. this however could not be accomplished on the spot. but the prospect was so good as to have dissipated all fears;...
58From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 5 February 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
The letter of Dec. 12. which Mr. Remsen did me the favor to write me during your indisposition has been duly received; and I shall be happy to hear that the cause is removed which deprived me at that moment of the pleasure of hearing from you. My last were of the 21st. and 31st. of December. I am afraid that my intelligence may have appeared sometimes to come late to hand. My letters by the...
59From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 5 August 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you on the 19th. of the last month with a postscript of the 21st. and again on the 23d. and 29th. Those letters went by private conveiances: this goes by the London post.—Since my last some small and momentary tumults have taken place in this city, in one of which a few of the rioters were killed by the city militia. No more popular executions have taken place. The capture of the Baron...
60From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 31 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Since the receipt of the letter of Monsieur de Calonne of Octob. 22. 1786. I have several times had the honour of mentioning to you that I was endeavouring to get the substance of that letter reduced into an arrêt, which, instead of being revocable by a simple letter of a comptroller general, would require an arrêt to repeal or alter it, and of course must be discussed in full council and so...
61From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 9 May 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my letter of Mar. 1. by the way of Havre and those of March 12th. and 15th. by the way of London no opportunity of writing has occurred till the present to London. There are no symptoms of accomodation between the Turks and two empires, nor between Russia and Sweden. The Emperor was on the 16th. of the last month expected to die certainly. He was however a little better when the last...
62From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 6 October 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
My letter of Aug. 30. acknowleged the receipt of yours of July 13. Since that I have received your letter of Aug. 13. inclosing a correspondence between the M. de la Fayette and Monsr. de Calonne, and another of the same date inclosing the papers in Fortin’s case. I immediately wrote to Mr. Limozin at Havre desiring he would send me a state of the case, and inform me what were the difficulties...
63To John Jay from Thomas Jefferson, 4 February 1789 (Jay Papers)
Your favor of Nov. 25. by Gouverneur Morris is duly recieved. [I must beg you to take the trouble of decyphering yourself what follows, and to communicate it to no body but the President at least for the present. ] We had before understood thro different channels that the conduct of the Count de Moustier was politically and morally offensive. it was delicate for me to speak on the subject to...
64To John Jay from Thomas Jefferson, 23 May 1786 (Jay Papers)
Letters received both from Madrid & Algiers while I was in London having suggested that Treaties with the states of Barbary would be much facilitated by a previous one with the Ottoman porte, it was agreed between mr Adams and myself that on my return I should consult on this subject the Count de Vergennes, whose long residence at Constantinople rendered him the best judge of it’s expediency....
65To John Jay from Thomas Jefferson, 31 December 1787 (Jay Papers)
Since the receipt of the letter of Monsieur de Calonne of Octob. 22. 1786. I have several times had the honour of mentioning to you that I was endeavouring to get the substance of that letter reduced into an arrêt, which, instead of being revocable by a simple letter of ^ a ^ comptroller general, would require an arrêt to repeal or alter it, and of course must be discussed in full council and...
66From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 29 June 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
My letter of the 25th. gave you the transactions of the States general to the afternoon of that day. On the next the Archbishop of Paris joined the Tiers, as did some others of the clergy and noblesse. 26th On the 27th. the question of the St. Domingo deputation 27th came on, and it was decided that it should be received. I have before mentioned to you the ferment into which the proceedings at...
67From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 11 January 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
My last letters have been of the 14th. 19th. and 29th. of November by the way of London. The present will go the same way through a private channel . All military operations in Europe seem to have been stopped by the excessive severity of the weather. In this country it is unparalleled in so early a part of the winter, and in duration, having continued since the middle of November, during...
68From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 26 September 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
The last letters I had the honor of writing you were of the 11th. and 13th. of August. Since that I have been favored with yours of July 14th and Aug. 18th.—I now inclose you such letters on the Barbary negociations as have come to hand since my last. With these is the copy of a joint letter from Mr. Adams and myself to Mr. Lamb. In mine of Augst. 13th. I mentioned that I had proposed it as a...
69From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 29 November 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
In the hurry of making up my letter of the 19th. inst. I omitted to inclose the printed paper on the subject of whale oil. That omission is now supplied by another conveiance by the way of London. The explanatory Arrêt is not yet come out. I still take for granted it will pass, tho’ there be an opposition to it in the council. In the mean time orders are given to receive our oils which may...
I had the honor of writing you on the 19 th . of Sep. twice on the 22 d . & again on the 24 th . the two first went by the packet, the 3 d by a vessel bound to Philadelphia. I have not yet learned by what occasion the last went. in these several letters I communicated to you the occurrences of Europe as far as they were then known. Not withstanding the advantage which the emperor seemed to...