31From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 4 February 1812 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 31 Ult. and am glad that the Tidings of Mary’s Illness and of her Recovery came together. A Letter from Maria arrived at the same time, but contains nothing respecting her Health. William purposes to make you a visit soon; but how soon exactly is not ascertained. I think he had better wait until Mary’s Health is more confirmed, which I hope will be the Case by...
32From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 24 March 1812 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . a Letter of the 20 Inst: from you; but from William none arrived by the last mail. The Ballance due to your uncle Peter will be somewhat less than $500— he may repay me the Difference. Your Cousin W m . L. Watkins has sent me his acc t . and according to it I owe him $43.63.— I presume it is right— ask him for a Copy of it, and pay him the Ballance— Nancy is again much better—...
33From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 31 January 1810 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 26 th ., and the Boxes of Plaister you sent by the Stage. They are much less in Size than those bought and sent by W m . Watkins— buy three or four more, while they may be had, and keep them for the present.— W m . has been confined by a Cough, which is better— when a little more so, he purposes to make you a visit; and by him I intend to send the Papers you...
34From John Jay to Sarah Louisa Jay, 4 May 1813 (Jay Papers)
The last mail brought no Letters for either of us from You or your Sister. Nancy returned Yesterday from Rye, where she found and ^left^ our Friends as well as they usually are. Effy was from home, on a visit to her Family in Jersey. Nancy took Clarinda with her, to see her Sister Mary, who had passed the winter there— They had not seen each other for a great many Years. Augusta writes to...
35From John Jay to William Jay, 16 September 1812 (Jay Papers)
When or where you will recieve this Letter is uncertain. I shall inclose it to Maria; who will either forward it immediately, or detain it until your Return to Albany, as she may think most adviseable— I rec d . by the last Mail your handsome and affectionate Letter of the 7 th . Inst. — it is sincerely my wish that the Expectations of both Families may be realized; and nothing will conduce...
36From John Jay to Cave Jones, 26 September 1811 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . ^by the last Mail^ your Letter of the 18 Inst— It certainly is important that the Facts asserted by you, and denied by Doct r . Hobart should not be left doubtful, if they can be rendered clear. How long it may be advise-able to delay the Reply, they who are on the sport and know exactly all the Circumstances which have relation to it, can best decide. If the indirect...
37From John Jay to Cave Jones, 1 October 1816 (Jay Papers)
I have reflected on the Topics on which we conversed, and agreable to my Promise, now acquaint you with the Result— Permit me to premise, that in my opinion the newly instituted ^office^ of Provost of Columbia College, which has lately become vacant, should be discontinued; & consequently that there is no Person whom I wish to see appointed to fill it. To me it appears adviseable that the...
38From John Jay to Richard Bland Lee, 7 September 1812 (Jay Papers)
In your obliging answ r . to my Letter of the Feb y . last, mention is made of a work of your Brother, then in the press— viz t . memoirs of the War in the southern Departm t . The Subject and the author, naturally excited my attention and my Desire to procure a Copy— I have not learned that it has yet been published, nor seen any thing relative to it, in our public papers. I presume therefore...
39From John Jay to Peter R. Livingston, 9 March 1813 (Jay Papers)
I rec d . by the last mail, your Letter of the 26 Ult. informing me of the Death of Chancellor Livingston.— This Event awakens ^combined with^ the Recollection of past Days & Incidents which Together ^and^ with the his having expressed the Sentiments of me that ^that^ you mention, excites Feelings too ^which (being^ obvious and natural) to need Description need not be described May He who...
40From John Jay to David Longworth, 28 October 1809 (Jay Papers)
My Son has sent me your Letter of the 16 th . Ult. informing me that “you had been directed by Doct r . Ramsay, to present me, in his name, the Copy of his S. Carolina therewith sent.”— As yet my Son has not sent me the Books; for want I presume of a proper opportunity. It not being certain how soon such an opportunity may offer, I think I ought not to delay answering your Letter any longer.—...
41From John Jay to Eleazar Lord, 7 February 1817 (Jay Papers)
Accept my thanks for your obliging Letter of the 31 ult. and for the Pamphlets which were inclosed with it. I hope the The Institution of Sunday Schools is in my opinion calculated to do good extensively, and in various Respects. I hope they will ^I hope they will become more general.^ On the Subject of War and capital Punishments, my Sentiments do not altogether correspond with those of some...
42From John Jay to Eleazar Lord, 22 April 1816 (Jay Papers)
I rec d . last week your Letter of the 2 d . Inst., with the Pamphlets mentioned in it. Such has long been the State of my health, that I can neither read nor write much at a Time without Fatigue. the Subject of these papers being interesting, I shall peruse them gradually. Whether I shall be able to do more is at present uncertain. Be pleased to present my acknowledgm ts . to the Author of...
43From John Jay to Joseph McKean, 14 April 1813 (Jay Papers)
I rec d . on Saturday last the interesting Letter which you did me the Favor to write on the 31 Ult. together with the two Pamphlets which you was so obliging as to send with it. Marks of Respect to the manners ^characters^ of such Men as Doct r . Eliot, not only tend to console their afflicted Relatives, but also to cherish the Virtues by which they were distinguished. Unhappily there is too...
44From John Jay to Morris S. Miller, 22 May 1809 (Jay Papers)
I rec d . by the last mail, and have read with great pleasure, your obliging Letter of the 11 th . Inst:— The Information in conveys, cannot fail of being grateful to all who prefer the wise and upright Policy which distinguished the Administration of Washington, to that which of late has distressed and disgraced our Country: How far the favorable changes which have taken place, are imputable...
45From John Jay to William Miller, 24 November 1815 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 12 th . of this Month. Having for more than a Fortnight, been ill of the Cold or Influenza, which prevails this Season very generally; I find myself feeble, and unable to write or read much without Fatigue. I cannot however let Garret return, without committing to his Care a few Lines in answer to yours.— You are right in supposing that at your age much...
46From John Jay to William Miller, 30 March 1813 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 6 th . of last month— It gave us pleasure to learn from it, that ^you had regained^ your Health now re-established , and that M rs . Miller and all the Family were well. M r . Benson has been elected a Member of Congress; but your Intelligence that Peter was also elected, is not so correct. I understand that there was a small majority against him, but that the...
47From John Jay to Benjamin Moore, 14 February 1810 (Jay Papers)
Sanguine Expectations appear to ^are said^ to be entertained here, that the application lately made for a gratuitum Stipend to the Minister to be called by this Congregation will succeed— For my own part I wish it may succeed—for if such a Bounty be proper in any Case, I think it would be in this.— The Expediency however of granting such Bounties, on what I understand to be the present Plan,...
48From John Jay to Gouverneur Morris, 21 September 1812 (Jay Papers)
I rec d . on the 19 th . your Letter of the 11 th . Inst.— The Diminution of my health since I left you, leaves me very little Reason to expect a Return of such a Degree of it, as would enable me to attend to any Business like that in Question— To undertake a Task without a Prospect and probability of performing it properly, is to deviate from the Path of prudence. The last is the only week,...
49From John Jay to Gouverneur Morris, 28 October 1816 (Jay Papers)
Having heard much of your Discourse before the New York Historical Society, it gave me pleasure to recieve a Copy of it; and to find from the Direction that I owed it to your friendly attention. It abounds in interesting Remarks— The Diction is elevated throughout— perhaps in some Instances beyond the proportion which the Topics bear to each other. In Landscape we prefer Hill and Dale to a...
50From John Jay to Jedidiah Morse, 14 February 1815 (Jay Papers)
On the 4 th . Inst. I rec d . by the Mail from New York, your interesting Letter of the 17 th . ult.— I have read the Pamphlets communicated to me by M r Grant; and derived from them the only Knowledge I have of the Transactions noticed in them. It would not be easy to introduce into my Mind Doubts of your Rectitude— my opinion of it has undergone no alterations. You are drawing Consolation...
51From John Jay to Jedidiah Morse, 16 August 1809 (Jay Papers)
I this Morning rec d . your Letter of the 9 inst. with the interesting sermon which it enclosed; and I thank you for them both. A well arranged and well researched ^proper^ History of the U.S. would have much to recommend it, and in some respects, it would be singular ^or unlike all others^ It would develop the Great Plan of Providence for causing this extensive and (these) undiscovered part...
52From John Jay to Peter Jay Munro, 18 April 1809 (Jay Papers)
I rec d . your Letter by W m ., and am happy in having rec d . so favourable an Acc t . respecting Maria— it corresponds with the Information given me by Wil m .— He also mentioned in strong Terms, your friendly attentions to him. I am much less unwell than I have been, but my Strength returns slowly— The Report you sent me, I have read— it certainly contains some valuable Provisions.—...
53From John Jay to Peter Jay Munro, 2 March 1812 (Jay Papers)
It is said that the manufacturing Company at Mamaroneck, have applied to the Legislature for an Act to empower them (on paying Damages) to overflow and drown as much of the adjacent Farms, and without the Consent of the owners, as may be necessary to make a Pond, that will afford a more ample Supply of water, than they can otherwise obtain there. The Country abounds in plentiful Streams— Why...
54From John Jay to John Murray Jr., 12 October 1816 (Jay Papers)
Accept my good Friend tha my thanks for your kind Letter of the 22 ult and for the Pamphlets enclosed in ^with it^, which ^they^ came to my Hands on the 2 Inst. The state of my Health is such, that I can read or write but little at a Time without Fatigue; and therefore I cannot prudently venture on the Task you recommend— Whether war of every Description is prohibited by the Gospel, is one of...
55From John Jay to Richard Peters, 21 November 1810 (Jay Papers)
Among the news papers &c. brought to me last week from the post office, I found a Packet directed to me in your handwriting— it enclosed no Letter, but it enclosed no bad Substitute for one. On reading it I was pleased with the Information and Pleasantry which run thro’ it. I was a little surprised to find that you had given up old wine and apician Dishes; from whence I learn, that wit will...
56From John Jay to Richard Peters, 9 January 1811 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 25 Nov r — Altho the Privations you voluntarily submit to, exceed the “ne quid nimis” of the wise men, yet they evince a sound mind, and will I hope tend to preserve it long in a sound Body. My Inquiries respecting Speltz were in Terms too general. To sow wheat here, is like taking a Ticket in a Lottery—more blanks than prizes—the Fly destroys more than we...
57From John Jay to Richard Peters, 29 March 1811 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 14 th . ult., and also the Book on Plaister of Paris, which you was so obliging as to send me, and for which accept my thanks— Your Letter conveyed to me the first and only information I have received, that a copy of President Washington’s valedictory address, had been found among the papers of General Hamilton, and in his handwriting; and that a certain...
58From John Jay to Richard Peters, 23 April 1811 (Jay Papers)
I rec d . by the last mail your Letter of the 14 Inst:— Between the Date of mine to You of the 29 ult, and the arrival of yours of the 11 Inst, I was taken with a sore throat— it prevailed in the Neighbourhood, as was thought to be epidemic— As the Inflamation abated, a severe cough came on. I am getting better slowly, but am very feeble; tho’ less so than I was in April last. As to the...
59From John Jay to Richard Peters, 24 July 1809 (Jay Papers)
Soon after recieving your letter of the 18 Sept r . last, I was called to Albany by the Death of the only remaining Child of my Daughter; whose Grief for the Loss of her Son and of her Husband, was still fresh and severe.— I returned on the 3 d . of Nov r . with a Pain on my Side, which the Doct r . ascribed to an obstruction in the Liver. The Complaint increased, and kept me in close...
60From John Jay to Richard Peters, 9 January 1815 (Jay Papers)
It is a great while since any Letters have passed between us— perhaps some of them have miscarried. The Season reminds me that I have survived the last year, and that I have left with it a great number who enjoyed more Health and Strength. Many friendly wishes have as usual been reciprocated on this occasion, but it seems to be questionable, whether an average proportion of them will be...