To John Jay from William Scott, 10 September 1794
From William Scott
[Commons Sepr. 10. 1794]
Sir
I have the Honor of sending the Paper drawn up by Dr Nicholl & myself—1 It is longer and more particular than perhaps you meant—but it appeared to be an Error on the better Side rather to be too minute than to be ^too^ reserved in the Information We had to give— And it will be in your Excellency’s Power either to apply the whole or such Parts as may appear more immediately pertinent to the Objects of your Inquiry.
I take the Liberty of adding that I shall at all times think myself much honored by any Communications from you, either during your Stay here or after your Return, on any Subject in which you may suppose that my Situation can give me the Power of being at all useful to the joint Interests of both Countries— If they should ever turn upon Points in which the Duties of my official Station appear ^to me^ to impose upon me an Obligation of Reserve, I shall have no Hesitation in saying, that I feel them to be such— on any other Points, on which you may wish to have an Opinion of mine, you may depend on receiving one that is formed with as much Care as I can use, and delivered with all possible Frankness & Sincerity.2 I have the Honor to be, with great Respect and Consideration, Your Excellency’s most obedient & very humble Servant
Wm. Scott
ALS, NNC (EJ: 07134). Endorsed: “… with Instructions on case of Appeals and Claims”. C, NHi: King (EJ: 04451); C, enclosure in JJ to ER, 13 Sept. 1794, below; LbkC, DNA: Jay Despatches, 1794–95 (EJ: 04319); LbkC, JJ: Lbk. 8; ASP: FR, 1: 494–96.
1. Encloses William Scott and John Nicholl to JJ, 10 Sept., below. JJ enclosed both to ER in his letter of 13 Sept., below. ER subsequently informed JJ that these documents had been presented to the Philadelphia committee of merchants and that efforts would be made to give the instructions their full effect. See ER to JJ, 12 Nov. 1794, ASP: FR, 1: 502.
Both the letter and the instructions were published in the Daily Advertiser (New York), 29 Nov.; Federal Intelligencer (Baltimore), 3 Dec.; Greenleaf’s New York Journal, 6 Dec.; Albany Gazette, 11 Dec.; Mercury (Boston), 12–16 Dec.; Columbian Centinel (Boston), 13 Dec.; Aurora General Advertiser (Philadelphia), 18 Dec.; Oracle of the Day (Portsmouth), 20 Dec.; American Mercury (Hartford), 22 Dec.; Norwich Packet, 25 Dec.; United States Chronicle (Providence), 25 Dec.; Eastern Herald (Portland), 29 Dec. 1794; Herald of the United States (Warren, R.I.), 3 Jan.; and Eagle: Or, Dartmouth Centinel (Hanover, N.H.), 2 Nov. 1795. They were also printed by Francis Childs and John Swaine as A letter and instructions from Sir William Scott and Doctor John Nicholl, prepared at the instance of Mr. Jay (Philadelphia, 1794; , series 1, no. 47283). In London, they were published in the Courier and Evening Gazette, 23 and 25 Feb. 1795.