John Jay Papers
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From John Jay to Francis Ley, 26 January 1797

To Francis Ley

Albany, 26 Jany 1797

Sir

I was by the last post favored with yours of the 23d. ult1 mentioning that you purpose to publish, by Subscription, a work on the Subject of preserving Houses from external Fire, and the Means of removing Goods from such as may be in Danger from it. That you would bestow one half of the Subscription money on the Sufferers by the late Fire at Savannah, and that one Copy shall be sent to those whose Subscriptions equal or exceed the Expense of publishing the Work.2

You request me to remit to Savannah for the Sufferers ^the amount of what may be^ subscribed to the Presidt. of the Bank of the U.S. at Charleston, the one half to be remitted to Savannah for the Sufferers, and the other half to remain in the Bank until the Copies due for Subscriptions shall be delivered— The Certificate (of which a Copy was inclosed) that the Plans described in the work “are new ingenious and useful” derives great Weight from the Characters of the Gentlemen who subscribed it.

It gives me pleasure to learn that Discoveries so interesting to Society have been made. but Sir! permit me to observe that the Singularity of your present plan for a Subscription, will I suspect rather retard than promote its Success. It is not pleasant, but it is candid, to say that as I do not approve of, so I cannot recommend it. I will nevertheless encourage every proper measure for the Relief of the Havannah3 Sufferers and I will also promote every proper & Customary plan for enabling Authors to publish ingenious works and Inventions; which if really useful to the public, cannot fail of being profitable to themselves—4

Mr Francis Ley— Charleston—

Dft, NNC (EJ: 08968).

1. See Francis Ley to JJ, 23 Dec. 1796, ALS, NNC (EJ: 06780). Francis Ley, a Charleston shopkeeper, ran a dry goods store in the city. He supported the incorporation of the Charleston Water Company in 1799. Jacob Milligan, The Charleston Directory. By Jacob Milligan, Harbour Master. September 1794 (Charleston, [1794]; Early Am. Imprints description begins Early American Imprints, series 1: Evans, 1639–1800 [microform; digital collection], edited by American Antiquarian Society, published by Readex, a division of News-bank, Inc. Accessed: Columbia University, New York, N.Y., 2006–19, http://infoweb.newsbank.com/ Early American Imprints, series 2: Shaw-Shoemaker, 1801–1819 [microform; digital collection], edited by American Antiquarian Society, published by Readex, a division of Newsbank, Inc. Accessed: Columbia University, New York, N.Y., 2006–19, http://infoweb.newsbank.com/ description ends , series 1, no. 27320), 24; Acts and Resolution of the General Assembly, of the State of South-Carolina. Passed in December, 1799 (Charleston, 1800; Early Am. Imprints description begins Early American Imprints, series 1: Evans, 1639–1800 [microform; digital collection], edited by American Antiquarian Society, published by Readex, a division of News-bank, Inc. Accessed: Columbia University, New York, N.Y., 2006–19, http://infoweb.newsbank.com/ Early American Imprints, series 2: Shaw-Shoemaker, 1801–1819 [microform; digital collection], edited by American Antiquarian Society, published by Readex, a division of Newsbank, Inc. Accessed: Columbia University, New York, N.Y., 2006–19, http://infoweb.newsbank.com/ description ends , series 1, no. 38533), 25.

2. Savannah experienced a devastating fire on the night of 26 Nov. 1796. One local newspaper reported that “Two Thirds of the City appear in ruin” and estimated that three hundred homes were destroyed by the blaze. Columbian Museum, 29 Nov. 1796.

3. JJ mistakenly wrote this instead of “Savannah”

4. No publication by Ley has been found.

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    Source Project
    Jay Papers
    Title
    From John Jay to Francis Ley, 26 January 1797
    Author
    Jay, John
    Recipient
    Ley, Francis
    Date
    26 January 1797

    Reference

    Cite as
    “From John Jay to Francis Ley, 26 January 1797,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jay/01-06-02-0249. [Original source: The Selected Papers of John Jay, vol. 6, 1794–1798, ed. Elizabeth M. Nuxoll. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2020, pp. 521–522.]