From John Jay to Robert Troup, 2 May 1792
To Robert Troup
New Haven 2d. May 1792
Dr Sir
The last post brought me your very friendly Letter of the 26 of last Month—1 I thank ^you^ it for it cordially— The Doctors ^Ramsay’s^ Silence began to appear singular to me— The Paragraph you insert from his Letter together with the Bills he has transmitted to you are agreable Circumstances— when you learn that they are accepted be so good as to inform me of it— The Interest you take in this Business and your zealous attention to my Indemnity ^it^ oblige me greatly;
The Issue of the Election to me appears doubtful— But whatever it may be I am prepared to meet it without Success without Exultation and Defeat without Depression— In either Case I shall be enabled by it to forming a more correct Estimate of many Characters, than could otherwise have been done. Of your Sentiments & ^attacht^ I have no Doubt and you will remain among the Number of those Whom I ^shall continue to^ regard as my Friends— ^I have^ often regretted the Circumstances which have too much seperated me from them— In my former office Strangers necessarily engaged
^a large proportion of my Time &^ attentions; in the present I am almost a Stranger to my own Home ^but little at Home^2 I am Dr Sir Yours sincerely—
J. J.
Dft, NNC (EJ: 12830). JJ heavily excised substantial portions of the dft; only a few passages could be deciphered.
1. Troup to JJ, 26 Apr., ALS, NNC (EJ: 07186); typescript (EJ: 11216). In that letter Troup reported:
We have had a very animated election here. We sanguinely expect a majority in the City. Mr. [Samuel] Jones who has just returned from Queens County gives us favorable accounts of the election in that quarter. In Flatbush in King’s County the electors were nearly unanimous for you. From other parts of the state we have not yet received accounts; but all the intelligence we have had from the Northern & Middle parts of the state since you were with us has been extremely flattering. As I get information I shall from time to time advise you. Let this event of the election be what it will you may rest satisfied that your friends have not betrayed the confidence you reposed in them. As to myself I sincerely regret that the weight & variety of business which constantly presses me has put in out of my power to promote your interest as effectually as I might otherwise have done. My regret is more painful as I feel myself under obligations to you which will command my gratitude & affection as long as I exist.”
2. Here JJ seems to be responding not only to Troup’s comments but to the attacks by former friends during the election campaign, to allegations he had long been absent and detached from his home state, and to “Aristides”’s assertion that JJ had neglected and abandoned his friends and now had none. See the editorial note “The Disputed Election of 1792,” above, and From “Aristides”, 4 Apr. 1792, above.