To John Jay from John Adams, 24 November 1800
From John Adams
Washington November 24 1800
Dear Sir
I received last Week your friendly private Letter of the tenth.—1 The assurance of the continuance of your friendship was unnecessary for me, because I have never had a doubt of it.— But others invent and report as they please. They have preserved hitherto, however more delicacy to wards the friendship between you and me than any other.
The last Mission to France,2 and the consequent dismission of the twelve Regiments,3 although an essential branch of my System of Policy, has been to those who have been intriguing and labouring for an Army of fifty thousand Men, an unpardonable fault. If, by their folly they have thrown themselves on their backs and Jacobins should walk over their bellies, as military Gentlemen express promotions over their heads, who should they blame but themselves?
Among the very few Truths in a late Pamphlet4 there is one that I shall ever acknowledge with pleasure, viz. that the principal Merit of the negotiation for Peace was Mr. Jays. I wish you would permit our Historical Society5 to print the Papers you drew up on that occasion.
I often say that when my Confidence in Mr Jay shall cease, I must give up the Cause of Confidence and renounce it with all Men. With great Truth and regard I am now and ever Shall be, your friend and humble Servant,
John Adams
ALS, NNC. (EJ: 05438). WJ, 1: 418–19.
1. JJ to JA, 10 Nov. 1800 (private), above.
2. In 1799, JA appointed William Vans Murray, Oliver Ellsworth, and William Richardson Davie (later replaced by John Marshall) to a commission tasked with negotiating a peace with France.
3. The Additional Army formed in July 1798 was disbanded in May 1800 by “An Act supplementary to the act to suspend part of an act, intitled ‘An act to augment the Army of the United States, and for other purposes.’” Stat. 2: 85–86.
4. JA is paraphrasing a quote taken from a recent disparaging pamphlet by AH: “The principal merit of the negotiation with Great-Britain, in some quarters, has been bestowed upon Mr. ADAMS; but it is certainly the right of Mr. JAY, who took a lead in the several steps of the transaction, no less honorable to his talents than to his firmness.” Letter from Alexander Hamilton, Concerning the Public Conduct and Character of John Adams, Esq. President of the United States (New York, 1800; Early Am. Imprints, series 1, no. 37566), 7; [24 Oct. 1800], PAH, 25: 186–234, quote on 189. For the background of AH’s letter to JA, see “Introductory Note,” PAH, 25: 170–85. For JA’s extensive notes on AH’s letters, see “Mr. Hamilton’s Letter, 1800,” n.d., AD, MHi: Adams.
5. The Massachusetts Historical Society founded in 1791 under the leadership of Jeremy Belknap.