1The American Commissioners to John Jay, 18 March 1785 (Adams Papers)
We received by the last Packet the favor of your letter of Jan ry. 14. in which we have the agreeable information of your having accepted the appointment of Secretary for foreign Affairs. Besides the general interest we feel in this event as members of the Union which is to availed of your services, we are particularly happy that a channel of communication is opened for us with Congress in...
2Enclosure: Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 27 August 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
I am honoured with your favor of June 19. informing me that permission is given me to make a short visit to my native country, for which indulgence I beg leave to return my thanks to the President, and to yourself, Sir, for the expedition with which you were so good as to forward it after it was obtained. Being advised that October is the best month of the autumn for a passage to America, I...
I shall sometimes ask your permission to write you letters, not official but private. the present is of this kind, and is occasioned by the question proposed in yours of June 14 ‘Whether it would be useful to us to carry all our own productions, or none?’ were we perfectly free to decide this question, I should reason as follows. we have now lands enough to employ an infinite number of people...
4To John Jay from Thomas Jefferson, 25 January 1786 (Jay Papers)
I received on the 18 th . instant your private favor of Dec. 9. and thank you for the confidence you are so good as to repose in me, of which that communication is a proof: as such it is a gratification to me, because it meets the esteem I have ever borne you. But nothing was needed to keep my mind right on that subject, and I believe I may say the public mind here. the sentiments entertained...
Soon after the arrival of M r . J. in London, we had a conference with the Ambassador of Tripoli, at his House The amount of all the information we can obtain from him was that a perpetual peace was in all respects the most advisable, because a temporary treaty would leave room for increasing demands, upon every renewal of it, and a stipulation for annual payments would be liable to failures...
6To John Jay from Thomas Jefferson, 23 May 1786 (Jay Papers)
Letters received both from Madrid & Algiers while I was in London having suggested that Treaties with the states of Barbary would be much facilitated by a previous one with the Ottoman porte, it was agreed between mr Adams and myself that on my return I should consult on this subject the Count de Vergennes, whose long residence at Constantinople rendered him the best judge of it’s expediency....
I had the honor of writing you on the 19 th . of Sep. twice on the 22 d . & again on the 24 th . the two first went by the packet, the 3 d by a vessel bound to Philadelphia. I have not yet learned by what occasion the last went. in these several letters I communicated to you the occurrences of Europe as far as they were then known. Not withstanding the advantage which the emperor seemed to...
The Count de Moustier, minister plenipotentiary from the court of Versailles to the United states, will have the honour of delivering you this. the connection of your offices will necessarily connect you in acquaintance: but I beg leave to present him to you on account of his personal as well as his public character. you will find him open, communicative, candid, simple in his manners, & a...
9To John Jay from Thomas Jefferson, 3 November 1787 (Jay Papers)
My last letters to you were of the 8 th . & 27 th . of October. in the former I mentioned to you the declaration of this country that they would interpose with force if the Prussian troops entered Holland, the entry of those troops into Holland, the declaration of England that if France did oppose force they would consider it as an act of war, the naval armaments on both sides, nomination of...
10To John Jay from Thomas Jefferson (private), 3 November 1787 (Jay Papers)
I shall take the liberty of confiding sometimes to a private letter such details of the small history of the court or cabinet as may be worthy of being known, and yet not proper to be publicly communicated. I doubt whether the administration is yet in a permanent form. the Count de Monmorin & Baron de Breteuil are I believe firm enough in their places. it was doubted whether they would wait...