To Benjamin Franklin from Henry Hunter, 27 May 1784
From Henry Hunter4
AL: American Philosophical Society
Hotel de Russie, Rüe de Richlieu
Thursday May 27th. 1784
Dr. Hunter presents his Respects to Dr. Franklin. He this morning forwarded a Packet addressed to Mr Jay from Dr Witherpoon who is now at London; but is this moment informed that Mr Jay is departed for America. He is apprehensive, from a Note brought him by his Servant from Passy, that the Packet from London will be dispatched after Mr Jay, unopened; & he is well assured it contains papers of importance to Dr Witherspoon to be used at Paris.5 It will therefore be necessary that the Gentleman who transacts Mr Jay’s business should open the Packet, & act upon the information it contains.
If Dr Franklin has any thing to forward to Dr. Witherspoon, Dr. H. will be happy to carry his Commands: he sets out for England, by Way of Flanders & Holland on Monday next.—
Addressed: A Monsieur / Monsieur le Doct. Franklin / a Passy
Notation: Dr. Hunter May 27, 1784.—
4. The “eminent dissenting Minister” living in London whom John Witherspoon introduced to John Jay in a letter of May 7, 1784 (described below). Hunter, ordained by the Church of Scotland in 1766, received his doctorate of divinity from the University of Edinburgh in 1771 and that year accepted a position as minister to the congregation at London Wall. He was also known for his translations of religious and scientific works: ODNB.
5. The packet contained Witherspoon’s May 7 letter to Jay, mentioned above. That letter explained that Witherspoon had brought from America sealed letters from La Luzerne to Vergennes and to the comte de Sarsfield, and a third sealed letter from Marbois to “an Abbe.” Being ill and unable to travel to France, Witherspoon was entrusting these letters to Dr. Hunter for delivery to Jay. Would Jay consider forwarding them? If they were favorably received, Witherspoon might make the trip to France; if Jay thought it improper to deliver them, he should not do so. Columbia University Library.
There is no evidence that Witherspoon went to Paris. He went to Scotland in June, and sailed from London to America in late July: Varnum L. Collins, President Witherspoon: a Biography (2 vols., Princeton, 1925), II, 141–3.