1From John Adams to John Jay, 4 July 1823 (Adams Papers)
The excellent president, governor, ambassador and chief justice, John Jay, whose name, by accident, was not subscribed on the declaration of independence , as it ought to have been, for he was one of its ablest and faithfulest supporters. A splendid star just setting below the horizon. Printed Source--Niles’ Register..
2From John Adams to John Jay, 30 April 1821 (Adams Papers)
I must beg your pardon for delaying so long the acknowledgement of your kind favour—you have done all that is necessary to be done with Mr Duane—The sume of the matter is I suppose is—he has ploughed the Son of the Heifer in the Secretary of States Office—and procured copies of some of your communications to Congress—My letter to Jonathan Jackson, which was unfortunately and absurdly laid...
3To John Jay from John Adams, 31 March 1821 (Jay Papers)
I thank you for your favour of the 20 th your letter to M r Duane comprehends every thing necessary to be said upon this occasion, and I presume will remove all difficulties— I congratulate you on the firmness of your nerves fully demonstrated by your hand writing, the beauty and firmness of which is equal to the best of your former days Mine are so debilitated that I can neither write— or...
4From John Adams to John Jay, 13 May 1821 (Adams Papers)
I received, last night your kind favour of the 7th. Your design of writing to Mr Duane for Copies of our “very Short journals” as he calls them, is judicious, and all that is necessary. I am under no concern about Mr Duane’s Extracts or Copies, because Congress has ordered our Journals to be printed and they are in a course of publication. Although I am ashamed of mine, yet I know that Shame...
5To John Jay from John Adams, 19 June 1821 (Jay Papers)
I thank you for your kind favour of the 11 th , which I have this moment received, and soon determined that an acknowledgement of it should not be so long delayed. You have done, with dignity and propriety all that can be done. A publication of your letters to M r Duane and his answers would place him in a ridiculous light. But Duane Cobbet and Calender are Such excentric Characters that it...
6To John Jay from John Clarkson Jay, 23 February 1818 (Jay Papers)
J’espere que vous et toute la famille etes bien. Je regarde d’avance avec bien deplaisir a L’approche d’avril et Je desire le plaisir De vous voir. Ditez moi dans votre prochaine lettre quand ma tante Nancy va venir a la ville vivre avec ma tante Marie. Je lis Telemaque et Je m’ en vais Commencer Cæsar au prim^i^er de mars. Donnez mon amour a la tante Nancy et toute la famille. Je reste votre...
7From John Adams to John Jay, 18 March 1822 (Adams Papers)
I have received with more pleasure than I can express and with something too much like envy which I detest, your well-known correct exact hand writing of the 11 of this month and with equal gratitude your noble present of the journal of Debates &ca the N.Y State convention. Although this respectable volume is printed in a so small a type that it will be impossible for me ever to read it I will...
8To John Jay from John R. Hudson, 10 May 1822 (Jay Papers)
I trust the following explanation of my motives in addressing you, will offer a sufficient excuse for an intrusion on your time, and your public and private engagements, which as a Stranger I should not under other circumstances ^have^ presumed on; I shall not therefore tresspass on your indulgence by any labored apology.— A short time since I accidentally heard that some property of the late...
9From John Adams to John Jay, 6 March 1821 (Adams Papers)
The sight of your hand writing and your name is to me a cordial for low Spirits. I wish I could give you a specimen of mine as beautifully written; but a pen will not obey the command of my paralytick nerves—The 5th Vol: of Dr. Franklin’s works, mentioned in your kind letter of 27th February, I have never seen, nor any preceding Vol: except the first. What the Editor Mr: William Temple...
10To John Jay from John Adams, 6 March 1821 (Jay Papers)
The sight of your hand writing and your name is to me a cordial for low spirits. I wish I could give you a Specimen of mine as beautifully written; but a pen will not obey the command of my paralytick nerves. The 5 th Vol: of D r . Franklin’s works, mentioned in your Kind letter of 27 th . February. I have never seen, nor any preceding Vol: except the first. What the Editor M r . William...
11From John Adams to John Jay, 31 March 1821 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your favour of the 20th. your letter to Mr Duane comprehends every thing necessary to be said upon this occasion, and I presume will remove all difficulties— I congratulate you on the firmness of your nerves fully demonstrated by your hand writing, the beauty and firmness of which is equal to the best of your former days mine are so debilitated that I can neither write—or...
12From John Adams to John Jay, 19 June 1821 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your kind favour of the 11th. which I have this moment received, and Soon determined that an acknowledgement of it should not be So long delayed. You have done, with dignity and propriety all that can be done. A publication of your letters to Mr Duane and his Answers would place him in a ridiculous light. But Duane Cobbet and Calender are Such excentric Characters that it Seems...
13To John Jay from John Adams, 30 April 1821 (Jay Papers)
I must beg your pardon for delay^i^ng so long the acknowledgement of your kind favour— you have done all that is necessary to be done with M r Duane— The sume of the matter I suppose is— he has ploughed the Son of the Heifer in the Secretary of States Office— and procured copies of some of your communications to Congress— My letter to Jonathan Jackson, which was unfortunately and absurdly laid...
14To John Jay from John Adams, 13 May 1821 (Jay Papers)
I received, last night your kind favour of the 7 th . Your design of writing to M r Duane for Copies of our “very Short journals” as he calls them, is judiceous, and all that is necessary. I am under no concern about M r Duane’s Extracts or Copies, because Congress has ordered our Journals to be printed and they are in a course of publication. Although I am ashamed of mine, yet I know that...
15To John Jay from John Adams, 9 January 1818 (Jay Papers)
Sketches of the Life and Character of Patrick Henry, by William Wirt of Richmond Virginia has been Sent to me by M r Shaw of the Atheneum. My Family are reading it to me every Evening, and though We have not finished it, We have proceeded far enough to excite an earnest desire to know your Opinion of it. There is in Section fourth, page 108. a passage which no Man now living but yourself can...
16To John Jay from John Murray Jr., 9 April[–19 May] 1818 (Jay Papers)
I am induced to address thee on a subject which has heretofore interested thy feelings, and which, as a philanthropist, and Christian, I presume still continues to claim thy consideration? It is in relation to the African Race, whose cause thou early advocated, by being the first President of the Society for promots the manumission of Slaves, and for protecting such of them as were, or should...
17From John Adams to John Jay, 9 January 1818 (Adams Papers)
Sketches of the Life and Character of Patrick Henry, by William Wirt of Richmond Virginia has been Sent to me by Mr Shaw of the Atheneum. My Family are reading it to me every Evening, and though We have not finished it, We have proceeded far enough to excite an earnest desire to know your Opinion of it There is a Section fourth, page 108. a passage which no Man now living but yourself can...
18To John Jay from Peter Augustus Jay, 1 April 1819 (Jay Papers)
Col. Pickering called on me last Sunday & breakfasted with me on Monday. He was going that Day in Stage as far as Stamford where he intended to hire a horse & ride over to Bedford to visit you. I mention this because the weather was such as probably prevented him from putting his Intention in Execution. M r Eddy this Morning shewed me a letter from the Governor in which he says that M r Jays...
19To John Jay from Maria Jay Banyer, 19 June 1821 (Jay Papers)
I had a very comfortable ride to Rye & found Aunt remarkably well, she & Helen were mutually delighted to see each other, Aunt & Effy both wish to keep her there— They went with me after dinner to M r . Munro’s after paying a short visit I proceeded to M r . Watts’s & spent the evening agreably with Matilda— M r . Watts was out electioneering until 11 O’Clock— it is thought Brother will be...
20To John Jay from Charles Gerrit De Witt, 4 August 1823 (Jay Papers)
Having it in contemplation to draw up a memoir of the life of my grandfather, the late Charles De Witt of Hurley in Ulster county, and being informed that he had the honour of your acquaintance, may I beg to receive your aid in the task?— His character from your pen, still vigorous in age, would be an exceeding great favour: I will thank you likewise for letters or other documents,...
21To John Jay from Maria Jay Banyer, 4 July 1823 (Jay Papers)
I yesterday rec d . your favor of the 1 st . & will with pleasure attend to your wishes respecting M rs . Chandler, either to-morrow or on Monday—to-day it would be unpleasant to encounter the crowd— It gives me great pleasure to tell you that Mary continued remarkably well the whole of yesterday, & slept thro’ so much noise that my apprehensions respecting the firing ringing &c on her account...
22To John Jay from Peter Augustus Jay, 17 September 1819 (Jay Papers)
I have not yet rec d any letters from Bedford by the last Mail, tho it is possible they may be now at my Office in Wall Street, to which I have not time to send before the hour at which I must be at the City Hall. On Monday last I wrote you a short letter & sent it to Clarks to be forwarded, communicating the intelligence that Mary had a daughter on Sunday— Both the Mother & Child are doing...
23To John Jay from William Coleman, 14 May 1817 (Jay Papers)
You probably have seen a controver[s]y in the Herald respecting the authorship of the respective individuals who contribute to The Fœderalist. The correspondent of the National Intelligencer claims for M r . Madison several, I believe, nearly 30 numbers, that we have always been led to suppose were written by Hamilton, & upon his own authority; were written & one number, that we have always...
24To John Jay from Peter Augustus Jay, 10 October 1821 (Jay Papers)
Our prospects here grow more unpleasant The more violent members of the Convention begin to act more in a body & to gather strength. They have held at least one caucus. Upon the whole there is a good deal of bad feeling & I should not be surprized if something very violent should be attempted in relation to the judiciary. This will probably depend upon the likelyhood of its succeeding—& of...
25To John Jay from Peter Augustus Jay, 15 November 1821 (Jay Papers)
The Convention adjourned on Saturday & I immediately went on Board the Steam Boat & arrived here on Sunday Morning. You will see the new Constitution in the Newspapers. Many of the democratic members were dissatisfied with it, but did not dare to seperate from their party— I think it chief defects are making the right of suffrage universal, rendering the Judges of the Supreme Court dependent,...
In Obedience to the Direction of the Board of Managers of the American Bible Society, We have the Honor to inclose You a Copy of their Proceedings relative to your late Resignation of the Office of President of the Society. We are deeply sensible of the serious Injury the Society will inevitably sustain from the Want of your illustrious Name to patronize its important Concerns; We cannot...
27To John Jay from Peter Augustus Jay, 28 October 1821 (Jay Papers)
You have already heard that Mary has given you another Grandson. I left Albany yesterday & arrived here this Morning & finding all well shall return tomorrow. M r Munro’s Daughter Frances had a son on the same day with Mary. The Convention will I hope adjourn in about a week. Since I wrote you last it has been occupied with the Judiciary. The first attack made upon it was a proposition to...
28To John Jay from William Jay, 25 August 1824 (Jay Papers)
After a most delightful journey I have reached this place. We arrived this afternoon, having first visited Newark & Queenstown in Canada— No one can have adequate ideas of the resources & prosperity of this state without visiting the Western Counties. From Rochester to this place is 87 miles & in the whole distance there are not 6 miles of bad road, nor half that distance of unsettled Country....
29To John Jay from Noah Worcester, 6 February 1818 (Jay Papers)
I have received both your letters relating to mine of Jan 2nd. But prior to the arrival of either I was under a necessity of printing yours of Nov. 12, or of excluding it from No XI. The paragraph I had mentioned is printed; but on reading your letter again after I had written, I thought it would not be proper for me to publish Mr Lords opinion of the Editor of the Friend of Peace. I therefore...
30To John Jay from Lafayette, 10 November 1824 (Jay Papers)
As Soon as I found Myself once more on the Happy Shore of America, one of My first inquiries Was after You, and the Means to Get at My old friend. The pleasure to See Your Son Was Great indeed, but I regretted the distance, Engagements, and duties which obliged me to postpone the High Gratification to Meet You after So long an absence. Since that time I Have been paying Visits, and Receiving...