John Jay Papers
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To John Jay from John Quincy Adams, 9 January 1795

From John Quincy Adams

Hague January 9 1795.

Dear Sir

Mr. M’Evers1 has just delivered me your favours of the 13th: and 14th: of last month,2 and I take the earliest opportunity to acknowledge the obligation, which delay, might prevent me from transmitting.

Mr. Schermerhorn3 some time since handed me also a letter of introduction from you.4 Please to accept my thanks, Sir, for the acquaintance with these Gentlemen. I shall esteem myself fortunate in any opportunity to render them a service to which your recommendation so fully entitles them.

Nothing could be more grateful to my feelings than the intelligence from America, which you are pleased to communicate. The suppression of the Insurrection, the return of conciliatory dispositions, the growing prosperity of commerce, and the prevalence of national principles, demonstrated by the re-election of good men for the ensuing Legislature, are all promising indications, that our Country will yet be flourishing, united and happy.

The friendly dispositions, of which the result of your late negotiation, and your observations since that period have tended to confirm your opinion, give us an additional ground of satisfaction. It may be expected that the Treaty, has by this time arrived in America. It is my cordial wish and hope, that it will be received with a temper similar to that which formed and acceded to its arrangements; with that combination of firmness and of generosity which is so well calculated to terminate with honour our foreign differences, and which has so happily succeeded in suppressing internal dissension.

The value of Peace and Neutrality is no where more forcibly felt, than at this moment in the Country where I am. Its situation becomes more and more critical from day to day. In the terrible agitation between the dismal alternative of Conquest or civil War, it feels at the same moment all the terrors of a torrent rushing from without, and a Volcano bursting from within.

The alarm at this place is great. The emigrants who have the means are hurrying away. The british Ambassador has gone to meet the future Princess of Wales; the Spanish, Portuguese and Prussian Ministers are gone. But the Stadtholder and his family still remain, determined it is said to stay at all Events, and partake of the common destiny. There is yet no intelligence from the Commissioners gone to Paris. Some hopes are still entertained of their success, which are strengthened, by the moderate and rainy weather, which will impede for the moment, the further progress of the french armies.

Requesting you to present my cordial remembrance to Coll: Trumbull and to your Son, I remain, with every Sentiment of Respect and Attachment Dear Sir, your very humble and obedt. Servt:

John Q. Adams

His Excellency John Jay &c &c &c

ALS, NNC (EJ: 09686). Endorsed: “Recd 14 Jan 1795”. WJ description begins William Jay, ed., The Life of John Jay: With Selections from His Correspondence and Miscellaneous Papers (2 vols.; New York, 1833) description ends , 2: 242–43 (extract); HPJ description begins Henry P. Johnston, ed., The Correspondence and Public Papers of John Jay (4 vols.; New York, 1890–93) description ends , 4: 154–56.

1James McEvers (1763–1817[?]), partner in the New York merchant firm of Le Roy, Bayard & McEvers, who represented Dutch banking interests in land purchases made in New York. LPAH description begins Julius Goebel Jr. and Joseph Smith, et al., eds., The Law Practice of Alexander Hamilton (5 vols.; New York: 1964–81) description ends , 3: 611–12, 619–20n31. JJ communicated with Le Roy, Bayard, & McEvers in 1799 about the possibility of purchasing 3,000 stands of muskets for equipping the New York state militia. See the editorial note “Defending New York,” below, and JJ to Bayard, LeRoy, and McEvers, 11 Nov. 1799, ALS, N (EJ: 01029).

2JJ to JQA, 13 Dec. 1794, above, and 14 Dec., not found. JQA’s diary entry for 9 Jan. 1795 includes “Letters Mr. M’Evers, letter from Mr. Jay.” JQA Diaries, vol. 20, MHi: Adams; JQA Diaries Digital description begins The Diaries of John Quincy Adams: A Digital Collection http://www.masshist.org/jqadiaries/php/ description ends , http://www.masshist.org/jqadiaries/php/doc?id=jqad20_15 (accessed Aug. 2018).

3Ryer Schemerhorn, probably of the Schemerhorn family of Schenectady. Schermerhorn was a merchant from New York who spent several years in the Netherlands. JQA to James Monroe, 8 Feb. 1795, MHi: Adams: JQA Lbks.

4JQA’s diary entry for 5 Dec. 1794, mentions “Visit from Mr. Schermerhorn with Letter from Mr. Jay.” Letter sent by JJ not found. While at The Hague, JQA provided Schemerhorn with a letter of introduction when he visited James Monroe. JQA Diaries, vol. 22, MHi: Adams; JQA Diaries Digital description begins The Diaries of John Quincy Adams: A Digital Collection http://www.masshist.org/jqadiaries/php/ description ends , http://www.masshist.org/jqadiaries/php/doc?id=jqad22_45&year=1794&month=12&day=05&entry=entryshort&start=0 (accessed Aug. 2018).

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