John Jay Papers
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From John Jay to William Short, 17 September 1789

To William Short

New York 17th. Septemr. 1789

Dr. [Sir]

In this Office no new Appointments have as yet been made, so that the Business of it could not be conducted in a regular official Manner since the Organization of the present Government, by which the Validity of former Commissions had in the Opinion of many been rendered at least questionable—

On the 15th. Day of June last the President consented to Mr. Jeffersons Return, and nominated you to take charge of our Affairs during his Absence; the Senate concurred in this Nomination, and nothing has since restrained me from conveying to you the necessary Documents, but the before mentioned State of this Department.1

It was not until ^very^ lately that all Doubts respecting the Seal of the United States were removed, and this Circumstance will account for the Ratification of the Consular Convention having been postponed until then.2 You will now receive it herewith enclosed, and it is the Desire of the President that you present it for Exchange to the Minister without Delay, and transmit the one you will receive on their Part by the first good Opportunity, that as soon as it shall arrive the Convention may be published and take Effect.—

I think it more than probable that my Letter to Mr. Jefferson of the 19th. Day of June last informing him of his Leave of Absence, came so seasonably to his Hands, as that we may soon expect to have the Pleasure of seeing him, especially as Copies of it were dispatched by different Vessels. I have since received from him Letters of the following Dates, Vizt. 9th. and 12th. May 1789.—3

I take it for granted that before his Departure he had so explained Matters to the Minister, as that he will have no Difficulty in considering you as charged with our Affairs, and in treating with you accordingly; for as nothing but mere Formalities are wanting, it is not likely that Objections will be made on that Account.—

Some of our latest public Papers will be sent with this.4 I am Dr. Sir, Your most obt. and h’ble Servt.

(signed) John Jay.

LbC, DNA: Foreign Letters description begins Foreign Letters of the Continental Congress and Department of State, 1785–1790, RG 59, item 121, National Archives (M61). Accessed on Fold3.com. description ends , 325–26 (EJ: 02550).

1The Senate received GW’s letter of appointment, the first made by his administration, on 16 June. It initiated a lengthy debate on the proper procedures for confirming appointments. See PGW: PS description begins Dorothy Twohig et al., eds., The Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series (19 vols. to date; Charlottesville, Va., 1987–) description ends , 2: 498–99.

2Treaties and conventions needed to be sealed with the seal of the United States. Not until 15 Sept. 1789, did the U.S. Congress order that the seal adopted in 1782 by the Confederation Congress “shall be, and thereby is declared to be, the seal of the United States.” Chap XIV, Stat., 1: 68. On the consular convention, see the editorial note “The Franco-American Consular Convention,” JJSP description begins Elizabeth M. Nuxoll et al., eds., The Selected Papers of John Jay (4 vols. to date; Charlottesville, Va., 2010–) description ends , 4: 112–20.

3See JJ to TJ, 19 June 1789, above; and PTJ description begins Julian T. Boyd, Charles T. Cullen et al., eds., The Papers of Thomas Jefferson (42 vols. to date; Princeton, N.J., 1950–) description ends , 15: 110–13, 126–27.

4The OFA Journal description begins Daily Journals, Office of Foreign Affairs, 1784–1790, 2 vols., Papers of the Continental Congress, RG 360, item 127, National Archives (M247). Accessed Fold3.com description ends (EJ: 03803) indicates that the enclosures were a ratified copy of the consular convention and newspapers from 19 June 1789 to this date.

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