31From John Jay to Floridablanca, 22 March 1781 (Jay Papers)
M r del Campo having informed M r Carmichael that the exact amount of the Cloathing purchased by M r Harrison, & the Expences attending it, ought to be ascertained, in order that the whole may at once be settled: I think it my Duty to acquaint your Excellency, that I have no further Intelligence on this Subject than what was conveyed in the last Letter I had the Honor to write you on the 15 th...
I ought & wish to write your Excellency a long Letter, but not by the Post. The french Fleet is not yet sailed—it will in my opinion be late in the Summer before the Fleet at Rh. Island will be reinforced. This Court has promised me one hundred and fifty thousand Dollars. Some Cloathing is now shipping on Acc t . of Congress from Cadiz. Russia has offered her mediation to England & the States...
33From John Jay to John Laurens, 26[–28] March 1781 (Jay Papers)
The Arrival of the Alliance has relieved your Friends from the anxieties occasioned by the Reports of your having sailed in the Shelaly who has long been missing. I sincerely congratulate you and my Country on your being now safe at the place of your Destination, and be assured of my warmest wishes for your becoming as much distinguished in the Cabinet as you have been in the Field. Rely on,...
34To Benjamin Franklin from John Jay, 28 March 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Royal Library, Windsor; AL (draft): Columbia University Library American Credit is again on the Brink of Destruction, and France alone can save it. The Evil is pressing— Details must therefore be postponed. You are not uninformed of the Bills drawn upon me by Congress. I have accepted to the Amount of Dollars and of that Sum have paid . On the 23d December last His Excellency the Count De...
35From John Jay to Silas Deane, 28 March 1781 (Jay Papers)
My last to you was of the 10 Inst. and I concluded it with a Promise of a Continuation, which I now set down to perform. The more I enquire and hear about your Contract, the more I become convinced that it will never be ratified. The Prices affixed to the several Articles are thought exorbitant, and I am well persuaded that the Conduct of those Affairs will be referred to the Person I before...
36From John Jay to Benjamin Franklin, 28 March 1781 (Jay Papers)
American Credit is again on the Brink of Destruction, and France alone can save it. The Evil is pressing— Details must therefore be postponed. You are not uninformed of the Bills drawn upon me by Congress. I have accepted to the Amount of Dollars and of that Sum have paid . On the 23 d December last His Excellency the Count De Florida Blanca expressly promised me three Millions of Reals—he has...
37To George Washington from John Jay, 29 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
There has long been something about my Heart which urged me to write to You, but I thought it selfish to diminish your few Leisure moments by an additional Correspondent, especially as your Punctuality & Attention would probably have led you to consult my Wishes rather than your own Convenience. The Time I hope will come when the Return of Tranquility will give me an opportunity of conversing...
38To Benjamin Franklin from John Jay, 1 April 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): Columbia University Library; copy: Library of Congress Notwithstanding my repeated and earnest applications to the Count D Florida Blanca I have as yet been able to obtain only, 34880 dollars of the 150,000 Dollars expressly promised me in Decr. last. He has on the contrary assured me that this promise could not be complied with in less than six Months, it therefore became...
39From John Jay to Benjamin Franklin, 1 April 1781 (Jay Papers)
Notwithstanding my repeated and earnest applications to this Cour the Count DFlorida Blanca an I have not ^ as ^ yet rec d ^ been able to obtain ^ only 34880 dollars of the 150′000 Dollars ^
1 Ap. 1781 Rutherford Cook, born in the City of New York, carried when a Child to New Haven, of or near w h . place his Mother was a Native & Sister to the Mother of Gen. Arnold —was brought ^ up ^ to the sea—lately a Master of a Vessel call d the True Blue from Boston & one of the Captors of the Dover Cutter in wh. he had sail d . from Engl d .—told me that Arnold was born at Norwich in Conn...
41From John Jay to Floridablanca, 2 April 1781 (Jay Papers)
Be pleased to accept my Thanks for having ordered the Ballance due on the Cloathing, purchased by M r Harrison, to be paid; & for having so arranged the Payment of the Money to which the Bills of this month amount, as to enable the Embassador of France effectually effectually to interpose his kind offices to relieve me from the distressing necessity of protesting them. I lament the...
42To Benjamin Franklin from John Jay: Two Letters, 18 April 1781 (Franklin Papers)
(I) Copy: Library of Congress; two AL (drafts): Columbia University Library; (II) copy: Library of Congress; AL (draft): Columbia University Library This will be delivered to you by the Baron Giusti, who having been charge des affairs not only of the Emperor, but of the Grand Duke of Tuscany at this Court, is now Returning to Vienna. This Gentleman’s knowledge and acquirements, exclusive of...
43From John Jay to Benjamin Franklin, 18 April 1781 (Jay Papers)
I cannot omit this opportunity of communicating ^ transmitting ^ to you by a Courier of the Embassador of France, the agreable and interesting Intelligence which you will find ^ cont[aine] d ^ in the enclosed news Paper— There is also A ^ Boston ^
44From John Jay to Samuel Huntington, 21 April 1781 (Jay Papers)
Accept my Thanks for your Favor of the 18 Dec r . which was delivered to me on the 13 th . of March last— I am happy to hear that your Health permits you ^ still ^ to continue in your import in the Chair and to sustain the Weight of Business which the Duties of that office impose upon you. We have within these five Days The ^ interesting ^ news of Gen Morgans ^ glorious
45From John Jay to Charles Thomson, 23 April 1781 (Jay Papers)
On the 30 th . January last I had the Pleasure of rec g . your very acceptable Letter of the 12 Octob. 1780. The able manner in which it treats the important Subject of american Finances, induced me to give that Part of it to the Minister, and to send a Copy of the same Extract to D r . Franklin, who in his Answer says, “I thank you for communicating to me the Letter of the Secretary of...
46To Benjamin Franklin from John Jay, 24 April 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I am told an Express will set out this Evening from hence to Paris, & tho’ I have not time say as much as I would wish, I cannot omit this Opportunity of returning you my warmest Thanks for your very friendly Letter by my Courier. Col. Laurens informs me that on his arrival he delivered some Letters he brought from America for me to you— as none of them have as yet...
47From John Jay to George Clinton, 25 April 1781 (Jay Papers)
Where you live, whether still at Poghkeepsie, or at Kingston or elsewhere— Whether any of my Letters have reached you, & whether you have been too sick, too busy, or too lazy to answer any of them— how M rs . Clinton & her little Family does? Whether Vermont is to be or not to be & c & c . are points of which I am as ignorant as if I resided among the ten Tribes, whose Habitations no...
48From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 25 April 1781 (Jay Papers)
I scarcely ever address you in the familiar Stile, but I am insensibly led to reflect on what Clermont & we were fifteen or sixteen Years ago—nature seems to have given me a Propensity to Reverie, and I have long found pleasure in endulging it. past Scenes recalled to view in this Species of perspective appear much softned—the lesser asperities are lost in the Distance, and the more pleasing...
I have had the honour of receiving your Excellency’s Letters of the ^ 6 th & ^ 17 October last with the Inclosures. They arrived the 30 Day of Jan y last— There is more than reason to suspect that the French Court were apprized of their Contents before they arrived and to beleive that the Construction of the Treaty by which the navigation of the Mississippi is supposed to be comprehended in...
50To Benjamin Franklin from John Jay, 30 April 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I have this Day drawn upon Mr. Grand, in favour of the Marqs. D’Yranda for 487,320 liv. Tournois at ninety Days after Date, in order to enable me to pay Bills drawn upon me by Congress which will become due next month. I have by this Days post advised Mr. Grand of this Draft, & have desired him to carry it to your Account. The enclosed is a Copy of the Marquis Acct....
51From John Jay to John Laurens, 2 May 1781 (Jay Papers)
I have been favored with your very polite & obliging Letter by the Return of my Courier. None of the Letters for me from America, which you mention to have committed on your arrival to the Care of Doct r . Franklin have as yet reached me. The nature of the Warrant under which your good Father is detained, is if I am rightly informed, such as that I fear his Enlargement on Parole will not be...
52To Benjamin Franklin from John Jay, 9 May 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress As our Salaries are payables in Sterling money, I am too much at a Loss to determine the Rate of Exchange to fix upon any at present. I remember that your former Advances on this Account were at the rate of twenty four thousand Livres for a thousand Louis, supposing a Louis to be equal to a pound sterling, Our half years Salaries would amount to seventeen hundred &...
53From John Jay to Diego de Gardoqui, 20 May 1781 (Jay Papers)
Your Favor of the 18 Inst. came this Moment to my Hands. Nothing has been said to me of the Letter you mention. M r . Carmichael informed me nevertheless that you was anxious for the Reciepts in Question & feared being blamed for the Delay. Your first Request for these Receipts was made long ago, and ought to have been at once complied with. With this View, I then and frequently since, desired...
54From John Jay to Richard Harrison, 28 May 1781 (Jay Papers)
Tho I am several Letters in your Debt, I must at present confine myself to the Subject of your three last viz t . of the 8 th & 11 th . Inst. & another without Date, tho subsequent to the former. The true Reason for taking & lodging in the Post Office, the Letters brought by the Virginia to Cadiz, is not difficult to conjecture. There is however such an ordinance as the one which was urged as...
My last to Your Excellency was of the 25 th ult o . and was the more particular as M r : Toscan, who is appointed Vice Consul of France at Boston was the Bearer of it— He sailed from Bilboa On the 18 th Inst: I received from the Honorable M r . Lovell Three Letters written on one sheet, viz t : 20 Feb y . 9 & 31 March last— No other Copies of these Letters ever reached me— They arrived at...
56To Benjamin Franklin from John Jay, 31 May 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Columbia University Library; copy: Library of Congress Your favor of the 20th. Inst reached me two Days ago. The Intelligence transmitted with it had reached us by the Way of Cadiz. I am nevertheless much obliged by this Mark of your friendly Attention. The Packet from america abt which you enquire came safe to Hand. It contained only some old Letters of Jany last from govr....
57From John Jay to Benjamin Franklin, 31 May 1781 (Jay Papers)
Your favor of the 20 th . Inst reached me two Days ago The Intelligence contained in ^ transmitted with ^ it had reached us by the way of Cadiz I ^ am ^ nevertheless consider myself much obliged by this Mark of your friendly Attention— The a Packet from america sent me by the Courier
58To Benjamin Franklin from John Jay, 1 June 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I have this Day drawn upon you a Bill in Favor of the Marquis d’Yranda for ninety thousand one hundred & thirty five Liv. Tourn. at ninety Days Sight. I shall also soon be obliged to draw for the Balance of the 25000 Doll. for the two Months Sight Bills— I am Dear Sir, Your obliged & obt. Servant. The $25,000 BF had promised to provide for bills of credit drawn on...
59From John Jay to Silas Deane, 16 June 1781 (Jay Papers)
Your Letter of the 8 Ap. is particular on a Subject, on which I confess I wished to be minutely informed. I approve of your having conveyed to the Minister what you concieved to be a true State of our Affairs. On such Occasions Policy, as well as Candor, forbids Deception. How far it was necessary or proper to mention the same Things in public Conversations, is less clear, & if that was the...
60From John Jay to Floridablanca, 28 June 1781 (Jay Papers)
Agreable to your Excellencys Request I have now the honor of again submitting to your Consideration a particular State of the Case of the unfortunate Americans, who after Capturing the Dover Cutter and bringing her safe to Santa Cruz in the Island of Teneriff the 15 th April 1780 have ^ not ^ as yet reaped the Fruits they expected from that successful tho’ dangerous Enterprize. Your...