241To George Washington from John Jay, 29 May 1788 (Washington Papers)
I was two Days ago favored with yours of the 15th Instant. it gives me pleasure to find that the Probability of Virginias adopting the proposed Constitution rather encreases—such an Event would undoubtedly disarm the opposition. It appears by recent advices from Charleston that we may count on South Carolina, and the New Hampshire Delegates assure me that their State will come into the...
242From John Jay to Diego de Gardoqui, 1 March 1786 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d the Letter which You did me the Honor to write yesterday, informing me that instead of granting a Permit as you requested for me to purchase and export a Horse, his Majesty has been pleased to order one to be sent to You for me. This is indeed doing a Favor in a royal Manner—It demands my sincere and respectful acknowledgements, and I shall take the Liberty of requesting the Count...
243From John Jay to Philip Schuyler, 17 March 1785 (Jay Papers)
I sh d . have immediately replied to your obliging Letter covering yo the Plans for a House, had It not found me employed in preparing Dispatches to go by the Packets— Accept my thanks for your friendly attention to that matter—The Plans are ingenious—but I shall adopt your Idea of not having the Entry in the middle. Agreable to your Advice I shall get my Timber from Jersey especially as I...
244Report on a Letter of John Adams, 1 April 1785 (Jay Papers)
The Secretary of the United States for the Department of foreign Affairs to whom was referred a Letter of the 10 th . January last from M r . Adams to his Excellency the President of Congress. —Reports That the said Letter contains nothing but what comes directly within the Treasury Department; except the Hint respecting Treaties with the Barbary States; for negociating which Congress have...
245From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 4 January 1787 (Jay Papers)
I was this Day fav d . with yours of the 27 Ult. The one inclose d . was immediately sent to the post office The Terms of y r . agreem t with Massachusets have not yet transpired, but I have no doubt of the[ir] being proper ones—It is an Event that gives me much pleasure, for I think it will tend to make us & our Eastern Neighbours better friends than heretofore. That Consequence independent...
246John Jay’s Draft Letter to the King of France, 10 December 1784 (Jay Papers)
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...
247Extract from John McKesson’s Notes of Debates, 1 July 1788 (Jay Papers)
[ JJ resumes his analysis of the taxation amendment, avowing he can see “no possible impropriety in the general government having access to all the resources of the country.” ] M r . Jay So much said & so well said Shall add a few Hints The Mode Business is to consider the mode which will best secure their General Happiness & particular Happiness— These Gov ts . should be so constructed as not...
248From 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
249From John Jay to Bourgoing, 29 August 1788 (Jay Papers)
accept my thanks for the obliging Letter which you did me the Honor to write on the 8 May last by Mons r . de Varville It gives me Pleasure to find that the Talents and attention ^zeal^ you manifested in the Conduct of affairs ^in Spain^ during a very interesting Period in Spain , have procured as well as merited the Rank you now enjoy— M r De Varville shall recieve from me all those Marks of...
250From John Jay to Benjamin Franklin, 28 March 1788 (Jay Papers)
M r . Ellicot delivered to me your very friendly Letter of the 15 th . Instant. I wish he had found it convenient to have staid a little longer with us, for previous Engagements prevented my passing so much Time with him as I should otherwise have done. I promised myself much Satisfaction from his Conversation, and also more accurate and extensive Information respecting our western Country &c...
251To Thomas Jefferson from John Jay, 2 November 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
My last to you was of the 15th. September, since which I have been honored with yours of the 12th. July by Doctr. Franklin. He arrived at Philadelphia in as good Health as when he left France; but travelling by Land being painful to him, we have not had the Pleasure of seeing him here. We have been for some Time past looking in vain for a french Packet. Late Advices of the Algerines having...
252From John Jay to Peter Jay Munro, 24 April 1785 (Jay Papers)
The Letters which I have lately had the Pleasure of recieving from you should have been regularly answered, had not the State of my public and private Business been such as to engage all my Time and Attention—I hope by Degrees to reduce both to order, and th at en and not before I may expect to enjoy a little Leisure. M r Strang tells me you grow industrious—This is a good Report and if...
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 ^
254Report on a Letter from the President of New Hampshire ( John Sullivan), 5 August 1786 (Jay Papers)
The Secretary of the United States for the Department of foreign Affairs to whom was referred a Letter of 20 th . July 1786 with the Papers enclosed from the President of New Hampshire to his Excellency the President of Congress Reports That on attentively considering the Facts stated in these Papers, it is not clear to him that Congress should interfere— He thinks however it might be well to...
255From 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...
256From 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...
257From John Jay to George Mason Jr., 9 August 1787 (Jay Papers)
It gave me great Pleasure to recieve your friendly Letter of the 23rd last Month. As your Father and Brother passed only a few Days here, I had not so much of their Company as I wished: the Business of the Convention would not permit your Father to be longer absent from Philadelphia, and your Brother returned there with him. Your History my dear Sir has I find some pleasing Pages in it; and...
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...
259Extracts from John McKesson’s Notes of Debates, [11] July 1788 (Jay Papers)
M r . Jay A proposition That the Constitution should be so far ratified as to go into Operation except as to certain parts which should not operate until a Convention Not admissable It called on Congress to admit this State into Congress upon Conditions not contained in that Constitution Could this have been admitted What Powers will this Congress have— Can they change any Article of it— Will...
260To Thomas Jefferson from John Jay, 16 June 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my last to you of the 4th. Ult. I have been honored with yours of the 2d. January and 5th. and 12th. of March last. I have also received a joint Letter from You and Mr. Adams of 28th. March; all of them have been laid before Congress, who as yet have not given me any Orders respecting the Contents of either. The first of these Letters vizt. that of 2d. January strikes me as very...
261From 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...
262From John Jay to William Carmichael, 23 September 1788 (Jay Papers)
I have had the Honor of rec g & communicating to Congress your Letter of the 29 April last, as well as your former one preceding ones of 3 July & 19th Aug t . The Intelligence which accompanied the first of the two last is relative from our unfortunate Captives at Algiers is interesting, and there doubtless was propriety in your forwarding it to this office. As to all Questions as to the Paper...
263From John Jay to Edward Newenham, 9 February 1787 (Jay Papers)
It unfortunately so happened that the Letter you did me the Honor to write on the 12 Aug t . last, did not arrive until the near approach of the ^ just before the ^ annual Election of Congress. And At that Period Business generally becomes ^ & continues ^ suspended, until the new Delegates can assemble and choose elect a President. That Event took place last Week, when seven States being...
264To George Washington from John Jay, 3 February 1788 (Washington Papers)
an English Gentleman having been so obliging as to procure for me some Rhubard Seed which, from his account of it, there is Reason to believe is of the best kind, I take the Liberty of sending you a little Parcel of it—If the seed prove good you will soon be able to determine whether it will flourish in your climate, & in what Soil & Situation best. It is a prevailing and I believe a just...
265To Thomas Jefferson from John Jay, 27 October 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you a few Lines by the last french Packet mentioning the Letters I had received from you, and that by another Conveyance you would receive particular and important Dispatches from me. Those Dispatches relate to the Consular Convention; they begin with a Letter from me of the 3d. Inst. which, among other Matters, enumerates the Number of Papers annexed to it. After those Dispatches were...
266From 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 ^
267To Thomas Jefferson from John Jay, 24 October 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Since the 8 Ult. when I last wrote to you, I have been favored with your Letters of the 6 and 15 Augt. last, which together with the Papers mentioned in the first of them, were immediately laid before Congress. Altho the Opinion of the most judicious and well informed seems to be that France and Britain will avoid War, and unite their Councils and their Efforts to preserve Peace, yet as great...
268From John Jay to Lansdowne, 20 April 1786 (Jay Papers)
M r . Anstey this morning delivered the letter you did me the Honor to write on the 26 February last. Every opportunity of manifesting my attention to your Lordship’s Recommendations will give me Pleasure; and that Inducement will conspire with others of a public nature to ensure to M r . Anstey my friendly Endeavours to facilitate the Execution of his commission, and render his Residence here...
269From John Jay to Sarah Livingston Jay, 14 November 1783 (Jay Papers)
However my Letters may be short and unentertaining, you will I am sure give me Credit for Punctuality, especially if you recieve as many from the Post office as I send to it— The last I had the Pleasure of recieving from You was dated the 4 th . Inst— As M r Johnson lives at the Distance of three miles from me, I think it w d . be best to direct your Letters to me at M r . Binghams N o . 30,...
270To Thomas Jefferson from John Jay, 25 November 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
On considering the nature and necessity of the Extra Expences with which You think the united States should be charged, I was inclined to believe that Congress would view them in the same point of Light, and give orders accordingly. Altho’ none of their existing Acts, strictly construed, warrant such charges, yet the Reasonableness and Propriety of them afford strong Reasons for their being...