1. Having previously memorialized the British consul in America (see JJ to John Temple, 7 Apr. 1786, above), the five New York Loyalists now directly petitioned Congress, the proper procedure as JJ indicated to Temple. See JJ’s Report on the Petition of Richard Lawrence, 14 Mar. 1787, below. Held for trespass, damages, and costs, they all appealed for “relief” as the Congress “shall think meet,” on the basis of the 6th Article of the peace treaty. See JJUP, 2 description begins Richard B. Morris et al., eds., John Jay, vol. 2, The Winning of the Peace: Unpublished Papers, 1780–1784 (New York, 1980) description ends : 435; Morris, Peacemakers, description begins Richard B. Morris, The Peacemakers: The Great Powers and American Independence (New York, 1965) description ends 464.

The case of Richard Lawrence continued into 1788, during which “the facts stated” by him had been “investigated.” Lawrence had failed to plead the peace treaty in his defense, and therefore judgments had been rendered. JJ gave a full report to Congress on 26 May 1788, which included a copy of Lawrence’s petition to King George III. Because Temple had orders to appeal to Congress, JJ recommended, and Congress concurred on 13 June 1788, to advise the British foreign minister: “Your Lordship will easily perceive that his [Lawrence’s] Representations are at least not accurate, that the Judgments contained in those Records must operate until legally reversed, and that they cannot be reversed but in the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, which is open to Mr. Lawrence as to any other Person.”

Sometime before June 1788, Peter Allaire reported that, after giving up all his property to his “pretended Creditors,” Lawrence had been freed from jail and had left for England where, Allaire speculated, he would report that Temple had taken a “very spirited part … on that Affair.” See Temple to JJ, 10 Nov. 1787, DNA: Domestic Letters description begins Domestic Letters of the Department of State, 1784–1906, RG59, item 120, National Archives (M40). Accessed on Fold3.com. description ends , 3: 300–305 (EJ: 2207); JJ to Temple, 23 Feb. 1788, Dft, NNC (EJ: 5834), and DNA: Domestic Letters description begins Domestic Letters of the Department of State, 1784–1906, RG59, item 120, National Archives (M40). Accessed on Fold3.com. description ends , 3: 331–32 (EJ: 2238); JJ to the President of Congress, 26 Jan. 1788, DNA: PCC, item 80, 3: 418–19 (EJ: 325), DNA: Domestic Letters description begins Domestic Letters of the Department of State, 1784–1906, RG59, item 120, National Archives (M40). Accessed on Fold3.com. description ends , 3: 315 (EJ: 2222); JJ to the President of Congress, 20 Mar. 1788, LS, DNA: PCC, item 80, 3: 454–55 (EJ: 334); Dft, NNC (EJ: 5836); and LbkC, DNA: Domestic Letters description begins Domestic Letters of the Department of State, 1784–1906, RG59, item 120, National Archives (M40). Accessed on Fold3.com. description ends , 3: 339 (EJ: 2249); JCC, description begins Worthington C. Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1904–37) description ends 34: 106 and n., 220–30 and n.; JJ’s report to Congress, 26 May 1788, DS, DNA: PCC, item 81, 3: 63–69 (EJ: 3938); LbkC, DNA: PCC, item 124, 3: 173–79 (EJ: 4625); JCC, description begins Worthington C. Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1904–37) description ends 34: 222–30; and Giunta, Emerging Nation, description begins Mary A. Giunta et al., eds., The Emerging Nation: A Documentary History of the Foreign Relations of the United States under the Articles of Confederation, 1780–1789 (3 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1996) description ends 3: 575–77, 649–50, 732, 779, 789.