From John Jay to Silas Deane, 1 November 1780
To Silas Deane
Madrid 1 Novr. 1780
Dear Sir
I have just recd. your Letter of the 16 Octr.— How happens it that you do not yet know me? Time and opportunity have not been wanting—1 I suspect You sometimes see double—2
If my Regard for my Friends be measured by the Length of the Letters
I write them, I confess they have often Reason to complain, especially as a constant Attention to Matters of public Concern, leaves me3 little Leisure for that pleasing Method of employing ones vacant Hours. Not many Days have passed since I wrote you a Letter of more than moderate Length,4 & if I could indulge my Inclinations you would read much of my writing. There are many Subjects both interesting and otherwise, on which I should be glad to converse with you either on Paper or in person, but the former is seldom in my power, for the Reason I have mentioned. my question ab[out] Dr. B[ancroft] & mr. C[armichael] was not with his [privity?]5 or by his request. Nor shall I make the least Mention of your Remark on that Head—it is a matter about which I have little Curiosity,6 and could, if explained, be no further useful to me than as the Circumstances which gave Rise to it, might explain Characters. Could I transport myself for a few Hours to Passy, we should soon find ourselves in a Situation similar to those we were often in at Mrs. Houses in 1775.7 letters cannot effect this—a multiplicity of Circumstances must necessarily be stated and combined—besides I percieve that you neither [understand] know my Situation respecting8 Certain People nor i yours. I am convinced that we have the same regard for each other as before. You will be of the same Opinion if Providence should again give us an occasion of meeting.—9 These are no Times to bid adieu to Politics—while you can be useful in them, dont restrain your Pen from those Subjects. If ever you and I should talk over these matters, you will think my Letters less reprehensible— In my last I told you that spain wanted mississippi. A Sheet could not convey more to a Person so well acquainted with the Subject as you are. I could tell you that Spain delays does little10 &ca. &ca but this would be only useless Comments11 on the Text— The Capt of a Vessel lately arrived at Cadiz from No. Carolina says our Paper was appreciating there. The King of Spain has offered us his Responsability to facilitate a Loan, and I am in a fair way of having some Cloathing for our Army. These Circumstances will give you Pleasure I am sure.12
If I am not much mistaken the Enemy will attempt to incline h[enry] l[auren]s. to their views.13 The Revolution you14 mention or rather intimate would have great Consequences. Instances of the like have happened. This Matter deserves much Thought— As to the Editions &c. of A Lee, no very great Effects will follow them in my opinion—but tho Facts cannot be altered, they may be misrepresented, and sometimes sunk, unless Care be taken to do them Justice. The State of America I admit to be a serious Matter, but I still think it will terminate well, tho it may be15 scorched by the ordeal thro which it is to pass— Of this you know more than I do, and therefore can better judge. F[rance] had better be cautious. I believe firmly the old adage nil utile nisi quod honestum,16 and therefore before17 Politicians or others deviate from Integrity, they should well consider the Consequences. I see very clearly that in the Instance alluded to, Repentance would soon follow, and not only prove ineffectual but severe— In a word my Friend as to all these Matters— I believe that a wise & good Being18 governs this world, that he has ordered us to travel through it to a better, and that we have nothing but our Duty to do on the Journey, which will not be a long one. Let us therefore travel on with Spirits & Chearfulness, without grumbling much at the bad Roads, bad Inns or bad Company we may be obliged to put up with on the Way—let us enjoy Prosperity when we have it, and in adversity endeavour to be patient and resigned without being lazy or insensible.
I cannot approve of your ceasing to reflect on certain Subjects— The more you reflect on them the better in my Opinion, upon that the same Principle that it is better to meet and reduce one’s Enemies, than submit to their Bondage, or remain exposed to repeated19 Injuries.20
Mrs. Jay & the Col. desire me to make their Compliments to you I am Dr Sir very truely Your Friend & Servt.
John Jay21
The Honble Silas Deane Esqr
LS, MB (EJ: 3679), partly in code, decoded by Silas Deane. DftS, NNC (EJ: 7783). Endorsed by JJ: “ . . . In ans. to 16 Octr.” DftS partly in code, with partial decoding and additional interlinear encoding by JJ; additional decoding by JJUP editors using the Jay-Deane code (EJ: 7590). See “John Jay’s Use of Codes and Ciphers” (editorial note) on p. 9. Substantive alterations in the DftS are noted below.
1. Here in the DftS, JJ excised the following encoded passage: “nor have i been neutral.”
2. Here in the DftS, JJ excised the following paragraph: “Your having left Philadelphia when you did accounts for your not knowing certain Matters which you otherwise would have done and which would have explained the Question my Remark relative to Dr B[ancrof]t and Mr C[armichael].” On this subject, see JJ to Deane, 2 Oct., and Deane to JJ, 16 Oct., both above.
3. Here in the DftS, JJ excised the word “very.”
4. JJ to Deane, 26 Oct., above.
5. The word listed for the number given in the text is “private”; in his decoding Deane appears to have reworked it into “privy” or “privity.”
6. Here in the DftS, JJ excised the words “or Concern.”
7. The boardinghouse of Mrs. Mary House at Fifth and Market streets in Philadelphia, where Deane and JJ, while a member of the New York delegation to Congress, had resided.
8. Here in the DftS, JJ excised the word “Individuals.”
9. This word is given as “conversing” in the DftS, and in the preceding words, “opportunity” is excised and replaced with “occasion.”
10. Here in the DftS, JJ excised the words “expects the Res[ul]t of Events.”
11. Here in the DftS, JJ excised the phrase “telling you how” and interlined “useless Comments.”
12. Here in the DftS, JJ excised the phrase “tho with Respect to the.”
13. Here in the DftS, JJ reworked the words “intrigue with” into “incline to.” Laurens steadfastly resisted pressures from the British government to defect. “A Narrative of the Capture of Laurens,” South Carolina Historical Society, Collections, 1 (1857): 18–68.
14. Here in the DftS, JJ excised “mention I don’t well understand,”.
15. Here in the DftS, JJ excised the words “a little.”
16. “Nothing is useful except what is honorable” (Cicero, Letters to Friends 5.19.1).
17. Here in the DftS, JJ excised “People” and replaced it with “Politicians or others.”
18. Here in the DftS, JJ excised the word “God” and replaced it with “Being.”
19. Here in the DftS, JJ excised the words “Attacks &.”
20. Here in the DftS, JJ excised the following passage: “Your Country has been ungrateful you say, admit it,— I have done nothing but ^constantly^ serve my Country for these six Years past and that most faithfully—but I confess that I did it and am still doing it as much & more for my own Sake as for theirs, that is because I thought & think it my Duty, without doing which I know I cannot please my Maker & get to Heaven—provided he is satisfied with my Conduct I care very little the ^mistaken^ opinions of others cannot deprive me of Happiness— I ought to wish & do wish to stand well in the opinion of Mankind and therefore.”
21. Here in the margin of the DftS, JJ added the following postscript regarding Deane’s proposed mast contract: “The Beginning of next Week I shall be at the Escurial, and from thence shall write you particularly relative to Your affairs.” In his subsequent letter to Deane on 20 Nov. from Madrid, JJ stated, “The long lost Letter [Deane to JJ, 23 Aug. 1780, NNC (EJ: 7776)] was delivered by me at the Escurial on the 9th Inst. and I was promised an answer with all convenient Expedition—more could not be desired—as yet I am not enabled to say any thing further on the Subject— The Court will soon be here, and then I shall have more frequent opportunities of expediting this Business.” JJ to Deane, 20 Nov. 1780, NNC (EJ: 7785).