From John Jay to the President of Congress (Samuel Huntington), 22 March 1781
To the President of Congress (Samuel Huntington)
Madrid March 22 1781
Sir
I ought & wish to write your Excellency a long Letter, but not by the Post. The french Fleet is not yet sailed—it will in my opinion be late in the Summer before the Fleet at Rh. Island will be reinforced. This Court has1 promised me one hundred and fifty thousand Dollars.2 Some Cloathing is now shipping on Acct. of Congress from Cadiz.3 Russia has offered her mediation to England & the States General. The latter have accepted it. The answer of the former (if given) is not known here. if she should refuse Russia will probably take part with the Dutch—if she accepts, she will doubtless be obliged either to agree to Terms consistent with the armed Neutrality, or continue the War— The Consequences of either are obvious. Mr Necker has published a State of the french finances much to his honor & their Credit—perhaps a complimentary order to translate and publish it would be useful.4 Mr Cumberland will set out on his Return, thro’ France, in a few Days. This Letter is intended to go by Capt. Trask from Bilboa. I am told he will sail much sooner than had been given out, and that unless my Letters go by this Evenings post they would arrive too late. Hence I am obliged to write in Haste & say little—there being no Time for Cyphers. I have recd. some Letters from your Excellency—their Dates shall be mentioned another Time.5 I have the honor to be with great Esteem & Regard Your Excellencys most obedient & h’ble Servant
John Jay.
His Exy President Huntington
ALS, DNA: PCC, item 89, 160 (EJ: 11907). Endorsed. Dft, NNC (EJ: 7756). LbkCs, DNA: PCC, item 110, 1: 395–97 (EJ: 4160); NNC: JJ Lbk. 1; CSmH (EJ: 3407).
1. Here in the Dft, JJ excised “paid between thirty & forty thousan” and interlined the rest of this sentence. The remaining excisions are not substantive.
2. See “Spain’s Finances and the Bills Drawn on John Jay” (editorial note) on pp. 366–68.
4. Jacques Necker’s Compte rendu au roi, par M. Necker, directeur général des finances. Au mois de Janvier 1781 (Paris, 1781). On its translation into English, see , 5: 391.
5. See JJ to the President of Congress, 25 Apr., below. No acknowledgment of the receipt of this letter has been found.