From John Jay to Alexander McDougall, 21 March 1776
To Alexander McDougall
[[Philadelphia], 21 March 1776]
Dr. Sir
I have at Length procured a Pike for you which will be sent by the Stage.1
Your fitting out an armed Vessel on the Colony—account does you Honor. I am at Liberty to inform you that the Congress have passed a Vote for privateering, by which I hope the Losses of some of our Friends will be repaired.2 It is expected that vigorous measures will be taken in preventing such as may be inimical to the Cause from injuring its Friends. Future Subscriptions to associations must be ridiculous and was inserted in the Resolve of Congress merely to accommodate it to those Colonies who have hitherto had no associations among them—Fear & motives of Interest & Convenience will would doubtless induce many to Sign it who are our Enemies in their Hearts & whose uniform Conduct has hitherto been very suspicious if not unfriendly—3
This Subject recalls to my Mind a little Report which I am told some Tories on long Island were pleased to form and propagate respecting me, vizt. That I should have said they were misrepresented to Congress—This Is not true, & to be ranked with many other False Reports which there is Reason to believe originated with that order of Men—
Would it not be well to remove such as are notoriously dissaffected to Places where their Arts and Influence will do us no Harm—Where are your Accounts?
It is suspected that certain People on Staten Island daily afford Supplies to the Enemy! Ought not the watering Place4 to be guarded and would not the Troops which might be designed for that Purpose be useful in other Respects. I should think your Army sufficiently numerous to admit of such a Detachment.
I hope you are careful of provincial Powder. The Continent are able to supply a Sufficiency of that article for continental Purposes. This Colony [Pennsylvania] takes Care to keep their own Stock good—& I think act wisely. I wish your Convention would pass a Place Bill, & direct their Delegates to promote such a Measure here—one or two other Colonies have done it, and it would redound much to your Honor to patronize such a Measure.5 Adieu for the present. I am your Friend
John Jay
ALS, NHi: McDougall (EJ: 744). Addressed: “Coll. Alexander McDoug[all] in [New York].” Franked: “free J. Jay.” Endorsed.
1. On 21 Mar. two samples of pikes were presented to Congress. , 4: 215, 224.
2. On 19 Mar. the Continental Congress adopted a report empowering colonists to arm their vessels and prey on enemy shipping. JJ, James Wilson (1742–98) of Pennsylvania, and George Wythe (1726–1806) of Virginia were then named to prepare a prefatory declaration to accompany these resolves. The declaration, which was adopted 23 Mar., justified privateering on the grounds that petitions by the United Colonies for the redress of grievances had been rejected and that Britain had declared an unjust war and was preparing to seize colonial ships and cargoes at sea. It was hoped, the declaration concluded, that English friends would understand the necessity for self-defense and retaliation. Congress ordered on 23 Mar. that the declaration and resolves be published. , 4: 213–14, 229–32; for JJ’s part in the phrasing of the draft preamble, see , 1: 404–5.
3. By a resolution of 14 Mar. Congress recommended that local authorities disarm all persons “notoriously disaffected to the cause of America, or who have not associated, and shall refuse to associate, to defend, by arms, these United Colonies.” , 4: 205.
4. A large spring on eastern Staten Island used by ships to take on water before putting out to sea.
5. On 15 June 1776 the New York Congress passed a bill barring military officers in the Continental or provincial service from sitting in the provincial congress. , 1: 495.