1From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 13 December 1784 (Jay Papers)
The Letter you favored me with gave me great Pleasure; it was well written, and well spelt; and you said, what you had to say, in an easy familiar manner. I should have written to you before, but as Pleasure should always give Way to Business, I was obliged on that account, to postpone it till now. Your Mama writes me that the Schoolmaster, who was at Eliz. Town, is removed; so that you will...
2From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 4 December 1790 (Jay Papers)
I had the Pleasure of recieving by the last post your Letter of the 24 th . of last month. Your Punctuality, and Attention to my wishes, are pleasing Circumstances— They make Impressions on my Mind, which you will have no Reason to regret— Permit me however to observe that your Letter was written rather in too great Haste— Hence I presume it happened, that the hand writing was not your best;...
3From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 29 October 1791 (Jay Papers)
You will probably be in Town as soon as this Letter, and I do myself the Pleasure of writing to you now, as I expect to be on the Road to Boston before another post-Day. I flatter myself that your Excursion has been beneficial to your Health, and that our friends at Rye regretted your leaving them. Essex will also recieve a few Lines from me by this Opportunity— I wish to number him and you...
4From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 12 November 1791 (Jay Papers)
I have this moment been favored with yours of the 5 th . of this month— Your aunts Death was very unexpected; and I regret it as an Event which must affect your uncle very sensibly. Your own Sensibility will I am persuaded render it unnecessary for me to intimate the Propriety of your visiting him frequently— Attentions to Persons in Affliction are always acceptable, and being marks not only...
5From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 29 November 1791 (Jay Papers)
I returned Yesterday in the afternoon from Exeter—This Morning I rec d . and read with Pleasure your Letter of the 23 d . Instant— The Inaccuracies in it scarcely required an apology— Some Errors are observeable in the Stile—very few in the Matter. I regard the Attempt as a Mark of Attention to my wishes, and shall not forget it— Having many Letters to answer and many Visits to pay, I can...
6From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 9–11 May 1792 (Jay Papers)
On the 3 d . Inst: I had the Pleasure of rec g . your’s of the 29 th . of last Month. on the next Day, that is the 4 th . I set out for Boston— So few of the Inns afford Candles fit to read or write by, that my Evenings are frequently passed in a Manner less agreable than those Employments would render them. I mention these circumstances to account for your not having rec d . a more early...
7Peter Jay Munro to Peter Augustus Jay, 28 December 1794 (Jay Papers)
The Election for Representatives in Congress is just closed—in Albany M r . Glen in Saratoga M r . Van Allen & in Dutchess M r . Bailey are unquestionably re-elected— The issue [ of ] the elections [ in ] Ulster & Orange will probably prove unfavorable to the fœderal Candidate. Eight days before the election it was proposed that old Chief Justice Morris sh d . be set up in opposition to M r ....
8From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 2 November 1797 (Jay Papers)
Your Letter of the 28 ult: was delivered to me this morning— mary had strong Claims to the Care and Kindness of our Family. I wish you had been sooner informed of her Illness, that every assistance in our Power to afford, might if requisite, have been rendered. It is a consolation however to reflect, that you found her comfortably circumstanced as to accommodations; and that she had not been...
9From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 25 November 1797 (Jay Papers)
Your Letter of the 17 th . Inst. came to hand Yesterday. On my Return from Schenectady the Day before, I rec d . yours by Cap t . Bogart— the Ice still detains his Sloop below— M r . Church may change the Glass at my Expence, but I should prefer having it done in the Spring ^rather^ than during the Winter, for I think it would then be better done. Let the carriage way by the Gate be paved with...
10From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 16 April 1798 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your’s of the 10 th .— M r . Tiebout the Engraver, is desirous of publishing a Print from my last Portrait by Stuart, and I have given hi m ^s^ ^Brother^ a Letter to you mentioning my having consented to his having the Loan of that Picture for that purpose. I now repeat it that you may not at present have the Trouble of putting it up in a Case. The moment the Election is over...
11From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 10 May 1798 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . Yours of the 26 ult. The one by Cap t Dusenbury, and this morning that of the 6 th . inst:— a variety of affairs induced or rather constrained me to postpone writing to you until now; & I have been hitherto so constantly interrupted that it is uncertain whether I shall be able to finish this in Time for the post. Tell M r . Munro that I am very much obliged to him for assisting...
12From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 17 May 1798 (Jay Papers)
Your Letter of the 13 came to hand this morning— The Intermissions between the Interruptions I have since had, have be ^en^ so short, that I could not bestow much consideration on some of the Matters stated in it, and which demand mature and deliberate Reflection. After having examined certain papers relative to the Land which Marvin desires to purchase, I will write to you on the subject— I...
13From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 2 September 1798 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 28 Ult. and altho’ I have nothing interesting to communicate, yet frequent Letters between us are both proper and agreable. Within a few Days past many Sloops with many Passengers have arrived from NYork— accounts said to have come from them, have filled this City with alarm and anxiety. From your Letter and from one I have rec d . from the Health office I am...
14From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 26 January 1799 (Jay Papers)
I this Day rec d . yours of the 22 d . Inst:— one of my late Letters contains a paragraph relative to the Coach— You have doubtless by this Time rec d . it—I had no Idea of authorizing M r Hallet to sell the Coach for any price, nor did I expect that a conclusive Bargain would have been undertaken, without previously consulting me and obtaining my approbation— I owe M r Hallet about one...
15From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 12 April 1799 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 4 March —April was doubtless the month— From the Information it contains relative to the apple Tree Boards, which I am glad to find have been taken proper Care of, it appears that you have rec d . the Letter from me on that Subject— I hope the others have also reached you. Your attention in writing to the Maj r . about the House, gives me pleasure— I wish the...
16From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 2 January 1800 (Jay Papers)
On Monday morning last, (being post Day) I recieved from the Post office some news papers, but no Letters. Yesterday Mr. Beers being ^happening to call^ at the post office on Business , recieved ^from^ ^the post master a Letter for me which had been brought by the Monday’s post, and which it seems had escaped his notice —. It was yours of the 25 ult. Having in several Instances had Reason to...
17From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 18 December 1800 (Jay Papers)
I was this Morning fav[ore] d . with yours of the 12 th . Instant. From your mentioning the Rec t . of mine to you of the 8 th , it may be inferred that no other Letters from me had reached you since the 27 Nov r . which is the Date of your last. Inform me whether any and what Letters of mine have come to your hands since the 27 nov r , that I may know whether any and which of them have...
18From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 21 March 1801 (Jay Papers)
The overtures for Reconciliation which had taken place before left us were terminated by two Letters of which the comb following are Copies— here insert M r Livingstons Letter of the 16 th . Instant & mine in answer to it of the same Date It being proper that our Conduct should harmonize with Reconciliation, the sooner you make a Visit to M r . Livingston the better- He wants to purposes to...
19From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 17 May 1801 (Jay Papers)
We left Albany last Wednesday near night— The next Day we Stopped for an hour at Oak Hill— You[r] Mama was not worse, but still very feeble. We arrived at Sinsing on Friday Morning, and last Evening came here, where we found every thing that we could expect had been done to accommodate us— Sam l . will take this Letter in the morning to Sinsing to put in the post office there. Inform your...
20From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 17 January 1809 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 10 Inst.— The Intent and Meaning of the 9 th . Article of the Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the United States and Great alien Britain always appeared to me to be plain and obvious, nor have any Doubts of that kind ever occurred to been suggested to me before. Among the Instructions given ^to^ me when I went to England, there was one in these Words, viz...
21From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 31 January 1810 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 26 th ., and the Boxes of Plaister you sent by the Stage. They are much less in Size than those bought and sent by W m . Watkins— buy three or four more, while they may be had, and keep them for the present.— W m . has been confined by a Cough, which is better— when a little more so, he purposes to make you a visit; and by him I intend to send the Papers you...
22From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 10 February 1811 (Jay Papers)
Your Brother who is the Bearer of this, will deliver to you the original Book in which were entered as they occurred, the Expenditures for Aug[ustu] s ., and also (in other parts of the same Book) those which were made for M rs . Munro and her Son. He will also deliver to You the Accounts in question, of which there are Duplicates— one for your use in the Settlem t . and the other for S[i] r ....
23From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 24 October 1811 (Jay Papers)
I went with Nancy last Friday to Rye, and returned on Monday. As the carriage came to the Door, your uncle asked me what I thought of parting with Peet— there was no time to think or say much on the Subject— I observed that it would be difficult to supply his place by a person equally capable of serving in such a Variety of Respects. I had the Day before advised him to make it Cæsars Interest...
24From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 28[–29] November 1811 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 25 th .— The necessity of stopping at Rye is obvious, and as to your aunt, at least not improper— and yet visits, prompted evidently by Convenience, are seldom pleasing. I wish the arrangement had been such as not to involve the Introduction of a new Guest there— under existing circumstances, there can be no Desire to see other visitors than those of the...
25From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 4 February 1812 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 31 Ult. and am glad that the Tidings of Mary’s Illness and of her Recovery came together. A Letter from Maria arrived at the same time, but contains nothing respecting her Health. William purposes to make you a visit soon; but how soon exactly is not ascertained. I think he had better wait until Mary’s Health is more confirmed, which I hope will be the Case by...
26From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 18 March 1812 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letters of the 6 th . and 13 th . Inst: — The woman procured by W m . appears to be desirous to give Satisfaction, but is in some Respects deficient in Qualifications for her place— I am glad however that she was sent— the other went to Sinsing last Saturday, not a little mortified and disappointed. As W m . has rec d . Bismuth from Albany, Nancy will not want a further...
27From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 24 March 1812 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . a Letter of the 20 Inst: from you; but from William none arrived by the last mail. The Ballance due to your uncle Peter will be somewhat less than $500— he may repay me the Difference. Your Cousin W m . L. Watkins has sent me his acc t . and according to it I owe him $43.63.— I presume it is right— ask him for a Copy of it, and pay him the Ballance— Nancy is again much better—...
28From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 28 April 1812 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 24 th . Inst.— Blake refused to have a doct r . and is again well— The attack was violent, but I doubt its having been by the prevailing Fever— Its having abated, and not hearing of any new Cases, I sent for W m .; who was importunate to return— he arrived on Saturday last— The late and present cool weather has produced new Cases of Fever— I heard Yesterday of...
29From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 23 September 1812 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 17 th . Inst — The Details in it are interesting, and I am glad you communicated them to me so early, and so particularly— The Sentiments you express relative to them, correspond with my own— The Resolution is not sufficiently cum ^cun^ning to conceal its object and Design— I have no Hesitation in concluding and saying that if we must have either M r . Madison...
30From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 13 October 1812 (Jay Papers)
Nancy returned on Thursday last, and to appearance as well as when she left us— I am happy to learn from your Letter of the 7th Inst . that Mary and the children had arrived in safety— We have rec d . the Rusk & c .— If the Question respecting M r . Farmer should be submitted to the Convention, inform me of the Result. Have you obtained M r . Rutherfurds opinion of the value of Pettits Farm?...
31From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 9 February 1813 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 5 th . Inst— and considered the Question stated in it.— To me it appears probable that the Leading Men among your Electors, and others in different parts of the State, desire and Expect a Petition to Congress. —If so— Can a satisfactory Reason from for declining it be given? or would it be discreet to be, and appear to be, passive and indifferent. If such...
32From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 22 March 1813 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 19 th . Inst:— Care must be taken to make adequate Provision for my Expenses here, which are not inconsiderable— when the monies payable to S r . James, and to Nicholl, are deducted, the Ballance remaining will not be great— M r Felch lately wrote a Letter to the Vestry signifying that he could not continue in their Service for less than $500 a Year— They...
33From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 30 March 1813 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 26 Inst.— You observe that you had rec d . and paid for the Christian Observer sent by D r . Morse— I presume it must be the Panoplyst. — In answer to S r . James’s Question “when he first sent me some of his invisible Ink?” tell him that I cannot recollect the Time exactly, but that I think it was as early as 1773 or 1774. The Impression on my mind is, that...
34From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 4 May 1813 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 30 Ult: but none from Albany. The Sums to be paid to S r . James and M rs . ^F. Jay^ were I think 58–25, to each of them— Your Letter says 58–21— perhaps the Error was in my Letter to you— but it is not very important— Altho there is a Ballance due to me from your uncle Peter, yet I wish to close the Account in Question— pay therefore to M r . Munro for him,...
35From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 16 October 1815 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of this morning, informing me of the Death of S r . James. This event excites Feelings & Reflections too natural not to be obvious. The Temper respecting me, in which he died should extinguish Resentments on our part, and lead us to a conciliatory Deportment toward his Family.— The Bearer I suppose will set out early in the morning— and I write this in some haste,...
36From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 12 March 1816 (Jay Papers)
My last Letter to you was dated the 5 Inst— William rec d . one from you last Saturday, and I had one from Maria of the 5 th . Inst.— I wrote to Maria last Week on the Subject on which she had requested my advice. I hope she has rec d . it— One or other of us write weekly to you or Maria— Tell ^her^ that M r . Silkman having already taken a Boy, has no occasion for another— at present I do not...
37From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 18 March 1816 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 10 Inst:, but am yet uninformed whether mine of the 27 ult: to Maria, has come to her Hands. The Continuance of her Head Aches gives me the more Concern, as they render the Success of the Doctor’s Plan less certain than I had supposed— I think the Doct r . should be apprized of it, that he may alter or add to his Prescriptions, as he may think it adviseable....
38From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 23 April 1816 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 15 Inst: and am glad that your legislative Labors are terminated— some good has been done, and more might have been. I hope your Health continues unimpaired— if there be even any Doubts of this, let not professional Business tempt you to neglect it, and thereby render yourself more and more unable to endure the Fatigue of applying closely to such Affairs.— It...
39From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 13 August 1816 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 9 th . Inst— on Saturday last M r . Hach [alia] h Bailey was here, & paid the Int[eres] t . that was due— He mentioned his having intended to pay the Principal, and that a Sum to the amount ^of it,^ had probably been paid to you on his acct.; but that certain Circumstances induced him to apprehend that it would be convenient to him to postpone the Payment— It...
40From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 5 November 1816 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 1 Inst. and am indeed sorry to learn from it that M r . G. Morris was then thought to be at the point of Death— it would be an Event which I should for many Reasons greatly regret— not having as yet heard of his Decease, there seems to be some little Probability of his being still alive, and perhaps of his being convalescent.— the next mail I presume will...
41William Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 5 March 1817 (Jay Papers)
We arrived here safely this morning, and had the pleasure of finding Papa and Nancy, as well as usual. I have mentioned to Papa, the subject about which you spoke to me; & agreably to my promise, I lose no time in returning you his answer. He very much regrets that his Biography is to be written; but if it must be written he is quite satisfied that M r : Coleman should be the Writer; & if that...
42William Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 21 April 1817 (Jay Papers)
The last Mail brought me your letter of the 19 th . Inst: I am glad you bought the family plate. Do you know anything about a likeness of Uncle F. I have been busy the last week in setting out young Locust Trees, & have planted about Seventeen hundred. I enclose Notes of the Negociation In Spain. To condense the contents of a large Volume into the compass of 8 pages is I assure you no...
43From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 20 May 1818 (Jay Papers)
Maria and W m . arrived on Saturday, just as the late disagreable weather commenced. She is not quite so well as she was—owing she thinks to a Cold she has taken. the approaching fine Season together with Exercise will I hope be beneficial to her. Sally’s Departure affects her greatly—it is an afflicting Privation to us all, but particularly so to her on many accounts.— This world is indeed a...
44From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 25 January 1819 (Jay Papers)
I wrote to you the 12 th . and have rec d . your’s of the 15 Inst.— It gave me Pleasure to be informed of your attentions to M r . Vaughan & c .— and also to learn that John was going on well— William, with Augusta, M rs . Banyer, and little Ann— set out this morning to make a Visit to our Friends at Rye. I fear they will find the Roads bad—the long Spell of moderate misty Weather, has...
45From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 30 March 1819 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 26 Inst. —On that Day W m . returned, and gave us agreable accounts of you and your Family. He mentioned the Illness & Recovery of M r . Munro’s Son. By hearing of both these Circumstances at the same time, much anxiety was obviated— He is a promising boy, and I hope his Recovery will be perfect.— From the amount of the Loss sustained by the Merch ts . Bank,...
46From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 13 April 1819 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 7 th . Inst— and have heard that the Commission mentioned in it had arrived— It appears to me, as it does to you, that the opposition of the Foederalists to M r . Clinton’s party, has been increased by the Circumstance you ^allude to.^ That you should feel a Delicacy in accepting an Office from him, and immediately concur in that opposition, is natural and...
47From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 20 April 1819 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 15 Inst— The Measures you have taken appear to me to have been prudent, and the Letter you wrote unexceptionable. —That many will be pleased to see you in the Station you fill, I have no Doubt; and I am also persuaded that Envy and Discontent will watch your ways.— Be prudent, and without Sollicitude leave the Results to Providence— I am glad that John was...
48From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 6 September 1819 (Jay Papers)
My last to you was by M r . Beebee— he left us the 26 Ult. I have rec d . your Letter of the 27 Ult.— stating that the Men who by Contract built your & Maria’s Houses, expended on them 7537 Dol rs . more than the Sum for which they agreed to build & finish them— and consequently have sustained an actual Loss to that amount. Whether you should assume that Loss or any Part of it, is a question...
49From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 12 October 1819 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letters of the 30 Ult & 8 Inst.— Judge Benson favored us with a visit on Saturday last, and remained with us until the Morning, when he set out for Rye.— Sundry Circumstances having occupied my Time and attention since the Rect. of your Letters, I now write to you with less deliberation respecting the assessments than would otherwise have been the case. It appears to me...
50From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 11 July 1820 (Jay Papers)
I hope your Brother, who set out Yesterday, had a pleasant Passage from Sinsing to New York, and found your and his Family well— I have rec d . your Letters of the 16 and 30 th . Ult— I am inclined to believe that your opinion respecting the operation of an assignment by Commissioners of Bankrupts is well founded— it is a question which I have not examined— general Principles seem to be in...