To John Jay from DeWitt Clinton, 6 August 1823
From DeWitt Clinton
Albany 6 August 1823
Sir
I have the honor to transmit to you a Discourse pronounced before a Literary Society at Schenectady.1 My object in delivering it was to evince my zeal for science, and my motive in sending it to you, is to indicate my respect for a distinguished Statesman of the Revolution.2 I have the honor to be with high consideration Your most Obedt servt,
Dewitt Clinton
The honble John Jay
ALS, NNC (EJ: 09120).
1. DeWitt Clinton, A discourse delivered at Schenectady, July 22d, A.D. 1823, before the New-York Alpha of the Phi Beta Kappa (Albany, 1823). The work was reprinted that same year in New York and New Haven.
Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha chapter of New York, was established in 1817 at Union College, joining William and Mary, Harvard, Yale and Dartmouth. https://www.union.edu/news/stories/201702/new-exhibit-highlights-phi-beta-kappa-union.
2. See JJ’s response, 19 Aug. 1823, below.