51From John Jay to Frederick Jay, 27 April 1784 (Jay Papers)
M r . P. Van Schaack informs me by a Letter dated the 12 Inst. at Bristol that M rs . Peloquins Ex rs . “have at length agreed to recognize the Powers of Att y . & to pay the Legacies”— The one however to our Father they will not pay until his will be proved in Eng & Letters of Adm n . taken out in England. I have desired M r . Johnson of London to talk with Cap t . Coupar ab t
52Benjamin Franklin and John Jay to John Adams, 29 April 1784 (Adams Papers)
We received the Letter you did us the honour of writing to us the 10 th. Inst, with the project of a Treaty that had been transmitted to you by the Baron de Thulemeier, which we have examined, & return herewith, having made a few small Additions or Changes of Words to be proposed, such as Citoyens for Sujets and the like, and intimated some Explanations as wanted in particular Paragraphs. The...
53Franklin and John Jay to John Adams, 29 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Massachusetts Historical Society We received the Letter you did us the honour of writing to us the 10th. Inst, with the project of a Treaty that had been transmitted to you by the Baron de Thulemeier, which we have examined, & return herewith, having made a few small Additions or Changes of Words to be proposed, such as Citoyens for Sujets and the like, and intimated some Explanations as...
54From John Jay to Lafayette, 8 May 1784 (Jay Papers)
I was surprized to see you pass in your Carriage two Days ago, havg understood that you was gone into the Country Tell me when you will be at Home I want to call upon you & talk over two or three Matters— Will Tomorrow morning suit You? I have found a New York Ship that will take me ^ us ^ on board at Dover, & so that you will no longer be exposed to the Inconveniences w h . your polite offer...
55From John Jay to Vergennes, 8 May 1784 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . & thank your Exy. for, the Passport inclos d . in y r . obliging Letter of the 5 Instant, & have now the Honor of transmitting the Acc t . necessary to compleat the order respecting my Baggage. There is a N York Vessel at London, in w h . I have engaged a passage. The Cap t . offers to take us i on board at Dover—but to avoid Embarrassments I at the Custom House there, I have...
Having waited until the Settlemt. of the public accounts was compleated, I left Paris the 16 May last, and on the 1 June embarked with my Family at Dover on board the Ship Edward Cap t . Coupar, in which we arrived here Yesterday. M r . Barclay has transmitted, or will soon transmit, to M r Morris, a State of the above mentioned accounts; and as it will thence appear that some of the Bills...
57From John Jay to Charles Thomson, 12 August 1784 (Jay Papers)
Your obliging Letter of the 29 July reached me two Days ago —accept my thanks for your friendly Congratulations on my arrival, and those paid Mr s . the Terms of approbation in which you mention my appointment is among the number of the ^ make one of the ^ very few Compliments ^ on ^ which I value. The acceptance of it ^ that Place
58From John Jay to Benjamin Lincoln, 17 August 1784 (Jay Papers)
I have just been honored with a Letter from General Knox of the 29 Ult, requesting to be informed “Whose map of the River S t Croix was used as an authority by the ministers who negociated the Peace” and desiring me to address my answer to You. This Letter arrived during my absence in the Country, from whence I returned the Day before Yesterday. The Map which the Ministers used, and on which...
59From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 18 August 1784 (Jay Papers)
Your kind Letter of the 30 Ult. was delivered to me Yesterday by M r Lewis. I thank you very sincerely for your friendly Congratulations on my Return, and assure you that among the Pleasures I have long promised myself from it, that of renewing our former Intercourse & Correspondence is not the least. I lament the unfortunate accident which has happened to your eldest Daughter; and which has...
60From John Jay to Benjamin Vaughan, 2 September 1784 (Jay Papers)
The far greater part of our ^ my ^ Time since our ^ my ^ arrival has been passed in the Country so that several Vessels have lately gone to Europe without Letters from us ^ me ^ to our Friends there. During my Absence your Family passed thro here on their way to Albany—they carried ^
61From John Jay to Matthew Ridley, 3 September 1784 (Jay Papers)
At Length my good Friend I am arrived at the Land of my nativity, and I bless God that it is also the Land of Light Liberty & Plenty. My Emotions on the occasion need ^ can ^ not be described—you are susceptible of similar ones, and I hope you will soon experience and enjoy them. I have not been to Philadelphia, nor further in Jersey than Eliz. Town where we found the Family well— Kitty indeed...
62From John Jay to Peter Van Schaack, 3 September 1784 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your favor of the 21 June last— Doctor Drummond may perhaps have an internal Sense of the Propriety of his Doubts & Scruples but on every other Principle they appear ^ to ^ me very extraordinary unaccountable. Above a Week has been employed here in Discussions between [ Brother Fœdy & myself on the one hand and ?] ^ with ^ our infallible Knight
63From John Jay to Edward Livingston, 5 September 1784 (Jay Papers)
I had Yesterday the Pleasure of rec g . y r . Favor of the 26 th . aug t . and thank You for the friendly Congratulations and Sentiments expressed in it. Whether or not I shall continue to reside in this City, or whether and when I shall resume the Business of my Profession, are Matters respecting w h . I have deferred coming to any Determination for the Present. My long neglected private...
64From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 5 September 1784 (Jay Papers)
On the 17 Aug t . I rec d . from M r . Lewis your Favor of the 30 July, and on the 18 Aug t . I answered it. The Day before Yesterday Your’s of the 26 Ult. reached me, and I am mortified to learn from it that mine to you had not come to Hand—it went by the Post, and was put into the office with my own Hands. I flatter myself that You have since rec d . it— As to the Letters rec d . from You...
65From John Jay to Henry Oothoudt, Jeremiah Van Rensselaer, and Christopher Yates, Commissioners of Forfeitures for the … (Jay Papers)
I observe by the news Paper that ^ you have advertized ^ the Interest of Henry White Esq r . in the Township of Whiteborough is to be sold at public auction next month— It is therefore necessary that you should be informed of the following Facts respecting my Claim ^ Right ^ to a 1000 acres of his Share in that Grant— The britsh Instruction to their Gov rs . to ^
66From John Jay to the Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty of the City of New York, [4 October 1784] (Jay Papers)
To the worshipful the Mayor Alderman & Commonalty of the City of NYork Gent accept my warmest Thanks for your affect e . Congratulation and ^ on ^ my Return to my native Country, and ^ for ^ the particular mark of approbation with w h . you have honored my Endeavours to do my Duty in promoting its Welfare. I consider the Day on w h . I again landed on these Shores, as one of
67From John Jay to George Clinton, 18 October 1784 (Jay Papers)
You may remember that Peter V Schaack Esq r . was among those [ illegible ] to whom the Com rs . charged with the Execution of ^ the ^ act respecting Persons of doubtful political Characters tendered the Oath prescribed by it, and which he declined taking— He apprehends that his Return to this Country is opposed by that Circumstance and fears that the obstacle arising from it cannot be...
68From John Jay to Charles Thomson, 20 October 1784 (Jay Papers)
I cannot let M r . Remsen depart, without acknowledging the Rec t . of your friendly Letter of 18 Ult. a Fever has long kept one of my Children in a precarious Situation; and while Doubts of her Recovery remained, I could not prevail on myself to be far distant. She still lingers on, but if she holds out ’till frosty weather, I hope all will be well. The Time for the Meeting of Congress being...
69From John Jay to Peter Van Schaack, 21 November 1784 (Jay Papers)
In order to reduce to a Certainty the Substance of our ^ my ^ Conversations with Gov r Clinton on your Subject & thereby prevent misunderstandings about the Matter in Case of his Death, I w ^ r ^ ote him a Letter (the Draft of w h . I accidentally left with my Papers in Jersey) to which I rec d . a few Days ago the following answer— Insert his Letter of 8 Nov r . 1784—
70From John Jay to Benjamin Vaughan, 30 November 1784 (Jay Papers)
A sufficient N o . of members to form a Congress not having arrived at Trenton, I passed on to this place ten Days ago to visit my old Friends. I found your Family well and am happy in this opportunity of cultivating their acquaintance. They seem not yet to have concluded on entirely on the Place of their Residence, and therefore I have ob there is still Room for me to hope it may be not be...
The various, reiterated and important Acts of Friendship done by your majesty to these States, have inspired them ^ with ^ strong Attachment to your Person, & with firm Confidence in your friendly Disposition towards them. Both these Considerations unite in urging us to ^ recommend to ^ your Majesty’s particular Attention and Favor, ^ The Marquis de la Fayette ^ a nobleman, who has ably...
Whereas the military Talents of the Marq s . De la Fayette has during the late war discovered great Military talents, having on various occasions given high proofs of able management, [ illegible ] ^ skill ^ , activity & Bravery, particularly while [ illegible ] by keeping a superior Ene Force in C ^
73John Jay to John Adams, 13 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
One of these Days I shall devote a Leisure Hour to forming a Cypher, and will send it to You by the first good Conveyance that may afterwards offer. at present I am engaged on many Committees, so that my attendance on them and on Congress, keeps me fully employed. I observe with Pleasure that in this Congress there appears to be good Talents & good Dispositions. none of their more important...
74To Benjamin Franklin from John Jay, 13 December 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and AL (draft): Columbia University Library The Marqs. de la Fayette is so obliging as to take Charge of this Letter. He has seen much of our Country since his Arrival, and, having had many Opportunities of knowing our true Situation, will be able to give you full Information on the Subject. I think he is (and has Reason to be) convinced that the Attachment of America to him, has not been...
75From John Jay to John Adams, 13 December 1784 (Jay Papers)
One of these Days I shall devote a Leisure Hour to forming a Cypher, and will send it to You by the first good Conveyance that may afterwards offer. At present I am engaged on many Committees, so that my attendance on them and on Congress, keeps me fully employed. I observe with Pleasure that in this Congress there appears to be good Talents & good Dispositions. None of their more important...
76From John Jay to Benjamin Franklin, 13 December 1784 (Jay Papers)
The Marq s . Dela Fayette is so obliging as to take Charge of this Letter— He has seen much of our Country since his Arrival, & having had many opportunities of knowing our true Situation, he will be able to give you a full and fair State of Information on the Subject. I think he ^ is ^ ( ^ & ^ has Reason to be) convinced that the attachm t . of America to him has not been abated by the Peace,...
77From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 13 December 1784 (Jay Papers)
The Letter you favored me with gave me great Pleasure; it was well written, and well spelt; and you said, what you had to say, in an easy familiar manner. I should have written to you before, but as Pleasure should always give Way to Business, I was obliged on that account, to postpone it till now. Your Mama writes me that the Schoolmaster, who was at Eliz. Town, is removed; so that you will...
Resolved ^ Unanimously ^ . Eight States only being represented that his Ex y the President inform the Minister plenipotentiary of the United States at the Court of France that it is the Desire but not the Instruction of Congress that in Case the Convention proposed for regulating and ascertaining the Powers and Priviledges of Consuls sh d . not be already signed, that he delay signing it until...
79VII: James Jay’s Copy of His Letter to the Governors of North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York, c.20 … (Washington Papers)
If the Plan be adopted, it will give us an opportunity of getting over, with the other Setlers, a number of good manufacturers in any branch of manufactury we please: and of course it will enable us to introduce and establish such manufacturies among us, as the circumstances of our Country will admit of doing with success and advantage. It is an obvious Truth, that a Nation, in order to be...
By The United States in Congress Assembled— May 7th, 1784. Congress proceeded to the election,& being this day informed by a Letter of the 9 th March last from the Hon Doctor Franklin that M r . J. Jay proposed to embark for America in the month of April and this information corresponding with the intelligence communicated to Congress by Mr. Jay himself in his Letters of last year, Mr. Jay was...
81From John Jay to François de Barbé-Marbois, 22 December 1784 (Jay Papers)
Having accepted the Place of Secy for foreign Affairs, it becomes my duty to inform You that Congress will adjourn Tomorrow to meet at the City of NYork on Tuesday the 11 Day of Jan y . next. I have the Honor to be Sir Your most ob t . & hble Serv t Dft , NNC ( EJ : 5704 ; 90227 ); LbkC , DNA: PCC , item 120, 1: 1 (
The Undersigned, Agents of the State of New York on the one and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on the other Part, having mutually agreed under the Direction of Congress that the Honorable Robert Hanson Harrison of the State of Maryland Esqr., the honorable John Rutledge of the State of South Carolina Esqr., the Honorable George Wythe, the honorable William Grayson, the honorable James...
The Necessity of speedily providing accommodations here both for myself & the Gent. of Congress, deprived me of the Pleasure I expected to derive from ^ of ^ passing the Holydays with You and the Family at Eliz. Town [ illegible ], ^ and as an Attack of the Rheumatism forbids my exposing myself to Cold, I cannot flatter myself with seeing You very soon ^ I must therefore must therefore write...
84From John Jay to Sarah Livingston Jay, 2 January 1785 (Jay Papers)
How ^ happens it ^ my dear Sally that not a Line from You has reached me since we parted. This is my fourth Letter to You. A Copy of my last went by M r G. Morris last Friday. I hope you have rec d . it and seen him—It inform d . you that my Brother had divided his Home with us, and that I flattered myself with the pleasure of seeing you as soon as the weather w d . admit of y r . travelling...
85John Jay to the American Commissioners, 14 January 1785 (Adams Papers)
On the 21 st: Ultimo I accepted the Place of Secretary for foreign Affairs. All the foreign letters which had been received during the recess of Congress were then and are still in the hands of a Committee to whom they had been referred—none have since arrived.— The adjournment from Trenton to this Place necessarily occasioned delay in business— Congress yesterday made a House, and I expect...
86John Jay to the American Commissioners, 14 January 1785 (Franklin Papers)
LS and two copies: National Archives On the 21st. Ultimo I accepted the Place of Secretary for foreign Affairs. All the foreign letters which had been received during the recess of Congress were then and are still in the hands of a Committee to whom they had been referred—none have since arrived.— The adjournment from Trenton to this Place necessarily occasioned delay in business— Congress...
87John Jay to the American Commissioners, 14 January 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
On the 21st. Ultimo I accepted the Place of Secretary for foreign Affairs. All the foreign letters which had been received during the recess of Congress were then and are still in the hands of a Committee to whom they had been referred—none have since arrived. The adjournment from Trenton to this Place necessarily occasioned delay in business. Congress yesterday made a House, and I expect that...
88From John Jay to Lafayette, 19 January 1785 (Jay Papers)
It was not before this morning that I was informed that the Bearer of this Letter was going to France and to sail Tomorrow, & Business and Company have not till now (late in the Evening) permitted me to sit down to write to You. I cannot however omit this opportunity of sending you a few Lines, which tho not very interesting will neither nevertheless in evince my attention to a Correspondance...
89From John Jay to Matthew Ridley, 19 January 1785 (Jay Papers)
It gave me great Pleasure to recieve your favor of the 2 d . Nov r . last, which came to Hand the Day before Yesterday. I thank you for your friendly Congratulations on our safe arrival in our native Country, & am happy to learn that your Health is so far re-established—You have our best wishes for its perfect Restoration, and for the Enjoym t of as much Happiness as the State of Things in...
90From John Jay to Dorcas Montgomery, 20 January 1785 (Jay Papers)
I have just been favored with yours of the 13 th . Inst. and wish it was in my power to give you such an acc t . of our College as might induce you to compleat the Education of your Son in it. Measures are taking to put it on a respectable Footing, but those Measures are not yet executed—These matters require some Time, & ^ but ^ I am persuaded that unnecessary Delays will be avoided. At...
It appears to me important both to Congress and their officers, that the Duties & Rights of the latter, be ascertained with Precision. Until that be done, the greatest Circumspection cannot preserve their Conduct from Error, nor their Feelings from being sometimes unintentionally hurt.— I have some Reason Sir! to apprehend, that I have come into the office of Secretary for foreign Affairs,...
92Circular to the States, 29 January 1785 (Jay Papers)
I have the Honor of transmitting to your Excellency official Extracts from the Journals of Congress of the seventh day of May a nd of the twenty first Day of December last. The first certifies my appointment to be “Secretary to the united States of America for the Department of foreign Affairs” and the second my having accepted that Place and taken the oath of office. The latter Event happened...
I have received from the Chargé des Affaires of France a Letter dated the 28 th . Instant, which I herewith enclose.— 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...
Report of Instructions for the minister of the united States at ^ to ^ the Court of London. You will in a respectful but firm manner insist that the United States be put, without further Delay, into Possession of all the Posts & Territories within their Limits, which are now held against their by british Garisons. and You will take the earliest opportunity of transmitting the answer you may...
95John Jay to John Adams, 11 February 1785 (Adams Papers)
I have now the Honor of transmitting to you herewith enclosed a Ratification made 1 st Feb y: instant of the contract or Engagement which you entered into as Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to their High Mightinesses the Lords, the States General of the United Netherlands, in Behalf of the said States, with Mess rs. Wilhelm & Jan Willink & others for a Loan of two...
96Report on Negotiations with Spain, 15 February 1785 (Jay Papers)
The Secretary of the United States for the Department of foreign Affairs, to whom on the 14 th . of February 1785 were referred a Letter of the 12 th . October last from W m . Carmichael, Esquire and two Papers that were enclosed in it, Reports thereupon as his Opinion That as it appears to be the Intention of the Court of Spain to open Negociations here with Congress, for the Discussion and...
97Report on the Longchamps Affair, 16 February 1785 (Jay Papers)
The Secretary of the United States for the Department of foreign Affairs, to whom on the 14 th . Instant was referred the Requisition of the Chargé des Affaires of France, that a certain Charles Julian De Longchamps, now in Custody at Philadelphia, in Pursuance of the Judgement of a Court of Law against him, be delivered up to his most Christian Majesty—Reports thereupon as his Opinion.— That...
98Report on Richard Soderstrom, 2 March 1785 (Jay Papers)
The Secretary of the United States for the Department of foreign Affairs has the Honor of transmitting to Congress a Letter to him of the 23 d . February 1785 from Sears & Smith of the City of New York Merchants, together with a Representation of Rich d . Soderstrom’s Conduct towards them, and a printed Proclamation of the Governor of Massachusetts dated the 13 th . February 1785 declaring...
99To Benjamin Franklin from John Jay: Two Letters, 8 March 1785 (Franklin Papers)
(I) LS : Library of Congress; AL (draft) Columbia University Library; copy: National Archives; (II) LS : American Philosophical Society You will perceive from the enclosed Resolution of Congress which passed Yesterday That you are permitted to return to America as soon as convenient. This Circumstance must afford great Pleasure to your Family and Friends here, and I am persuaded you will...
100John Jay to the American Commissioners, 11 March 1785 (Adams Papers)
On the 7 th of May 1784 Congress were pleased to resolve “that Treaties of Amity and Commerce be entered into with Morocco, and the Regencies of Tunis, Algiers and Tripoli, to continue for the term of ten years or for a term as much longer as can be procured” They also resolved “that their Ministers to be commissioned for treating with foreign nations, make known to the Emperor of Morocco the...