From John Jay to George Washington, 26 April 1779
To George Washington
Philadelphia, 26 April 1779
Dear Sir
The Questions contained in your Favor of the [23]1 April Inst. are as important, as the Manner of introducing them is delicate.
While the maritime affairs of the Continent continue under the Direction of a Committee,2 they will be exposed to all the Consequences of want of System Attention and Knowledge. The marine Committee consists of a Delegate from each State. It fluctuates—new members constantly coming in and old ones going out. Three or four indeed have remained in it from the Beginning & have a proportionate Influence or more properly Interest in it.3 Very few of the members understand even the State of our naval affairs, or have Time or Inclination to attend to them.4 But why is not this System changed? It is in my opinion convenient to the Family Compact.5 The Commercial Committee is equally useless. A Proposition was made to appoint a commercial agent for the States6 under certain Regulations. Opposition was made. The ostensible objections were various. The true Reason was its Interference with a certain commercial agent in Europe, and his Connections.7
You will if I am not greatly mistaken find Mr. Gerard disposed to be open and communicative.8 He has acquired an extensive knowledge of our Affairs. I have no Reason to believe he will use it to our Prejudice.9 There is as much Intrigue in this State House as in the Vatican, but as little secrecy as in a boarding School. It mortifies me on this Occasion to reflect that the Rules of Congress on the Subject of Secrecy which are far too general and perhaps for that Reason more frequently violated,10 restrain me from saying twenty things to you which have ceased to be private.11
The State of our Currency is really serious—when or by what means the Progress of its Depreciation will be prevented is uncertain. The Subject is delicate, but the Conduct of some men really indicates at least great Indifference about it.12 It will not be many Days before measures having a great tho not immediate Influence on this Subject will be either adopted or rejected. I shall then have an opportunity of being more particular— I am my dear Sir with perfect Esteem & Regard Your obedient Servant
ALS, DLC: Washington Papers, series 4 (EJ: 13170); Dft, NNC (EJ: 8414). Endorsed by JJ. Major excisions in the draft are noted below.
1. Date left blank in manuscript. Undated letter of 23 Apr. is in NNC (EJ: 7231); the date is ascertained from the Dft in DLC: Washington Papers, series 4 (EJ: 12632); printed in , 14: 435–37.
2. Here JJ excised “it is almost impossible they should succeed.”
3. The Marine Committee was established 11 Dec. 1775. The members to whom JJ referred were probably Samuel Adams, Richard Henry Lee, possibly Francis Lewis, and William Whipple and William Ellery, who were long-term but not original members of the committee. Robert Morris, long a dominant member of the Marine Committee as well as the Commercial Committee discussed below, was no longer in Congress. This was in reply to Washington’s query to JJ of 23 Apr. regarding the reasons for keeping the Continental frigates idle and useless in port. Washington suggested that Congress “lend them” to “Commanders of known bravery” for a limited time, after which the ships would revert to the states. , 3: 420; 6: 1065–66.
4. Here in the draft JJ excised “Committees cannot easily be made responsible”.
5. The Family Compact to which JJ alludes is the Adams-Lee alliance in Congress.
6. Here in the draft JJ excised “pay him generously and restrain him from doing other Business.”
7. Proposals for a commercial board not consisting of members of Congress or a commercial agent had been put forward Robert Morris, among others. The objection to the plan presumably came from the Lees and their allies, for it would have interfered with, if not curtailed, the European activities of William and Arthur Lee. William Lee (1739–95) was appointed in early December 1776 to join Thomas Morris as a commercial agent in Nantes. , 1: 491; , 11: 434.
8. Gérard left the following day to confer with Washington regarding the next campaign. , 12: 386–87; , 14: 455n18.
9. Here in the draft JJ excised “but I am mortified, to think that Congress w” and “our Transactions are open to the Eye of.”
10. Here in the draft JJ excised “from Inadvertence or Design”.
11. Here in the draft JJ excised “There appears to me an natural connection ^important Relation^ between the civil Polity and military operations of every Country many of [illegible] and particularly a Country circumstanced ^& governed^ as this is”.
12. Here in the draft JJ excised “There is either much Weakness or much Wickedness at the Bottom.”