Mr. Jay waited on the Count de Montmorin this Morning at nine OClock agreeable to appointment the Day before. The Former commenced the Conversation by observing that in his first Conferences with the Minister of Spain at Aranjuez, The Minister divided the Subject into two parts, and spoke largely on that of the Bills drawn on Mr. Jay, and on the Treaty proposed to be entered into between Spain and America.1 Mr. Jay recapitulating the Ministers assurances, relative to the former, and informed the Ambassador that the result of this Conference was a promise of the Minister to send him written notes on both points a few Days afterwards. That with respect to the Notes relative to the Treaty, Mr. Jay had not received them as yet.2 That on the other Point he had received notes, which as well as his Answer he had Shown to the Ambassador. That on the 5th. of July he had another Conference with the Minister at Madrid in which he had endeavored to turn the Conversation to the several objects of his business and mission here, but that the Minister postponed the discussion of them until a Person for whom he had sent with a view to succeed Mr. Mirailles should arrive, when all the necessary arrangements should be made. He indeed told Mr. Jay, that if the Messieurs Joyce were pressing, he might accept their Bills payable at Bilboa, and throughout the whole conference had given Mr. Jay warm and repeated assurances not only of the King’s good Faith and friendly disposition towards America, but of his own personal attachment to her Interest, on both of which, as well as in his Candor and promises, he desired him to place the greatest reliance.3

Mr. Jay proceeded further to inform the Ambassador, that being exceedingly pressed by Messieurs Joyce and other Holders of the Bills for a decisive Answer, which they had required to have on the Monday last Past, He had signified the same to the Minister by three Letters requesting his directions, to none of which he received any Answers. That he had accepted Messieurs Joyce’s Bills payable as directed by the Minister and had prevailed on the others, to wait until Monday next; That on his arrival here on Friday he wrote another Letter to the Minister on the same Subject, and the next Day called at his House to pay his respects, but not being able to see him, had left a Card; That being thus circumstanced, he was under the necessity of requesting the favor of him to speak to the Count and obtain an Answer from him.4 The Ambassador told Mr. Jay that he ought to ask an Audience of the Minister. To this Mr. Jay replied that he could not hope to have an Answer to this request, as he had not been able to procure one to the different applications he had already made. The Ambassador said that he would willingly speak to the Minister, but that he feared, he should not be able to enter fully into the Subject with him until Wednesday, both the Minister and himself having their Time employed on Objects, which at present and for some Time past had engrossed much of their Attention.5 He then asked Mr. Jay, if he had written to Congress, to stop drawing Bills on him. Mr. Jay replied that he could not with propriety give such information to Congress, after the general and repeated assurances made him by the Count de Florida Blanca ever since his arrival here, and particularly the Ministers declaration that he would be able to furnish him with thirty or forty thousand pounds Sterling at the end of the present or commencement of the next Year, and that in the mean time other arrangements might be taken to pay such Bills as might become due after that Period;6 He added that if the Count had candidly told him that he could not furnish him with Money to pay the Bills, he should then immediately have informed Congress of it, who would have taken of course the proper measures on the Occasion, but that should he now send a true Account of all that had passed between the Count de Florida Blanca and himself theron, He could not answer for the disagreeable Effects such Intelligence would produce.7 The Count seemed to think the Spanish Minister would pay the Bills that had already presented, and had probably delayed giving Mr. Jay an Answer until the Arrival of the Person he expected, who he understood was detained by the necessity of making some arrangements in his Family before he left it. On this Mr. Jay remarked that this did not accord with the information the Minister had given him near three Weeks before, that the said Person was then about to set out.

The Conference ended with a promise of the Count de Montmorin, that he would endeavor to speak to the Count de Florida Blanca on the Subject, but that he was afraid he should not be able to do it fully until Wednesday next.8