To John Jay from John Trumbull, 20 July 1797
From John Trumbull
London 20th: July 1797.
Dear Sir
On the 9th. instant, Mr. King put into my hands your Letter of the 3d. June, containing duplicate of one dated 20th. October1 the original of which never came to hand.— I beg you to accept my thanks for both, and particularly for the wise reflexions & Counsel contained in that of October:— Experience has shewn that my apprehensions of delicate and high responsibility, were not unfounded;—in truth the real difficulties of my Situation, and the Magnitude and Nature of Questions which it has fallen to me to decide, have far outgone even what I at first apprehended. I have made those decisions in the most careful and conscientious manner; and I hope that neither this Nation, nor any Individual has suffered Injury; nor my Native Country, my friends or myself disgrace; by what I done.
The History of our Proceedings is I understand, regularly communicated by the American Commissioners to their Government:— and as those Papers will of course be open to your observation, I will not enter into any Detail.2
Lord Malmsbury is at Lisle treating for Peace, with Commissioners from the French Republic;— I hope—though I cannot say that I firmly expect that their Negotiation will have a more favorable Issue than the last.
I look with anxiety for the proceedings of our Councils which I wish may unite Firmness with Moderation, and consist more in Deeds than in Words.— The Gentlemen who are appointed joint Commissioners with Mr. Pinckney will I hope have the Happiness to succeed in Averting from our Country, once more the worst of Evils.3
I beg you to present my best Respect to Mrs. Jay. and most cordial remembrance to Mr: Benson, Mr. and Mrs. Church.—Peter—and other friends I am with the highest Respect. Dear Sir Your obliged friend & Servant
Jno: Trumbull
His Excellency John Jay Esq. & &
ALS, NNC (EJ: 07208). Addressed: “His Excellency John Jay Esqr. / Governor of the State of / New York.” Note. “By the Factor / Capt. Kemp”. Endorsed: “… recd 17 Sep 1797”. LbkC, DLC: Trumbull (EJ: 10356); C, NNC (EJ: 12819), attached with JT’s letter of 7 Aug., below.
The ship Factor under John Kemp, sailed from Falmouth on 5 Aug. and arrived in New York on 11 Sept. Lloyd’s List (London), 8 Aug.; Minerva (New York), 11 Sept, 1797.
1. JJ’s letter of 3 June 1797 enclosing a copy of his letter of 20 Oct. 1796, has not been found. For the draft of his letter of 20 Oct., see DftS, NNGL (EJ: 90543).
2. On the role of the claims commission on which JT served, see the editorial note “Aftermath of the Jay Treaty: Responses, Ratification, and Implementation,” above. The official correspondence of the commissioners is in Records of Boundary and Claims Commissions and Arbitrations, 1716–1994.
3. On the commissioners to France, see the editorial note “John Jay and the Response to the XYZ Affair in New York,” below.