John Jay Papers
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From John Jay to the President of Congress (Richard Henry Lee), 31 January 1785

To the President of Congress (Richard Henry Lee)

Office for foreign Affairs

New York 31st. January 1785

Sir

I have received from the Chargé des Affaires of France a Letter dated the 28th. Instant, which I herewith enclose.—1

He called upon me and spoke on a variety of Subjects. It appeared to me prudent to request the favor of him to reduce his Communications to writing, in a summary way. He did so, but prefered doing it in an unformal manner, and therefore did not sign it.—

I think it my duty to communicate that, and the other papers which accompanied his Letter, to Congress; and also to observe, that being uninformed of the Dates and Contents of the foreign letters received from the American Ministers and others during the interval between the Resignation of my Predecessor, and my coming into this Office, it is not at present in my power, either to take Notice of those Letters in my Correspondence with them, or to avail myself of the Information they may contain, in my conferences with the foreign Ministers here.2—I have the Honor to be with great Respect & Esteem Your Excellys. Most Obt. & very Hble: Servt.

John Jay

His Excellency the Presdt. of Congress.

LS, DNA: PCC, item 80, 1: 9–10 (EJ: 57). Endorsed. Dft, NNC (EJ: 5708); LbkC, DNA: Domestic Letters description begins Domestic Letters of the Department of State, 1784–1906, RG59, item 120, National Archives (M40). Accessed on Fold3.com. description ends , 1: 10 (EJ: 1551). Enclosure: Barbé-Marbois to JJ, 28 Jan. 1785, DNA: Domestic Letters description begins Domestic Letters of the Department of State, 1784–1906, RG59, item 120, National Archives (M40). Accessed on Fold3.com. description ends , 1: 30–31 (EJ: 1569).

1. LbkC, DNA: Domestic Letters description begins Domestic Letters of the Department of State, 1784–1906, RG59, item 120, National Archives (M40). Accessed on Fold3.com. description ends , 1: 30–31 (EJ: 1569), cover letter for Barbé-Marbois’s letter of 27 Jan. recapitulating his conference with JJ, above.

2. For JJ’s attempt to reclaim control over the papers of the Office of Foreign Affairs, see “Secretary for Foreign Affairs” (editorial note), above.

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    Jay Papers
    Title
    From John Jay to the President of Congress (Richard Henry Lee), 31 January 1785
    Author
    Jay, John
    Recipients
    President of Congress
    Lee, Richard Henry
    Date
    31 January 1785

    Reference

    Cite as
    “From John Jay to the President of Congress (Richard Henry Lee), 31 January 1785,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jay/01-04-02-0012. [Original source: The Selected Papers of John Jay, vol. 4, 1785–1788, ed. Elizabeth M. Nuxoll. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2015, p. 23.]