To John Jay from John Murray Jr., 1 February 1800
From John Murray Jr.
New York 2d Mo 1 1800
Esteemed Friend
At the same time that I take the freedom to enclose thee an address from the representatives of the Yearly Meeting of our Society in Pennsylvania &c.—to the Inhabitants of the United States—1 I also apprehend, it may be my duty to inform thee, that the Institution established in this City for the education of the African Race, continues to prosper, tho in order for its support & promotion, the Trustees find it requisite to call on the Citizens occasionally for their subscriptions— and recollecting an observation which the Governor made, when applied to on behalf of the School—“That we must support this Institution”—induces me to revive the same, & to solicit his farther patronage & aid thereto— the Trustees are now about making strenuous exertions, not only to get out of debt, but to procure a Fund, which, with the Quarterly Subscriptions, may be adequate to the annual expenses of the School, without calling again on their fellow Citizens— Whatever the Governor may be pleas’d to bestow, he will be so obliging to hand it to Robert Bowne or Thomas Eddy2 — With sentiments of esteem— I am thy friend
John Murray Junr.
ALS, NNC (EJ: 12751; EJ: 09609). Addressed: “John Jay / Governor of the State of New-York / at / Albany”. Endorsed: “… recd Feb. 1800”.
1. Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, To our fellow citizens of the United States of North America and others to whom it may concern (Philadelphia, 1799; Early Am. Imprints, series 1, no. 36110).
2. On the establishment of the African Free School by the New-York Manumission Society in 1787, see Minutes of the New-York Manumission Society, 16 Aug. 1787; and the editorial note “John Jay, Anti-Slavery, and the New-York Manumission Society,” , 4: 538–39, 24–29 . Murray, Bowne, and Eddy worked on other philanthropic causes in New York City, including the New York Hospital and Newgate Prison. ANBO.
Murray had contacted JJ the previous year soliciting funds for the African Free School. Murray renewed his appeal for assistance in 1805, citing the school’s dismal finances. In this letter, he reminded JJ of the generosity exhibited by Frederick Jay (JJ’s deceased brother) who had donated a “Lot of Ground” for the school’s use. In his reply, JJ advised Murray and his colleagues to tap into national Quaker networks for assistance with fundraising efforts. JJ also recommended a method for improving the school’s financial status by loaning out at interest one-tenth of the school’s annual income. Murray to JJ, 26 Feb. 1799, ALS, NNC (EJ: 09615); 2 Sept. 1805, ALS, NNC (EJ: 10023); JJ to Murray, 18 Oct. 1805, Dft, NNC (EJ: 09603).