From John Jay to the President of Congress (Samuel Huntington), 1 August 1781
To the President of Congress (Samuel Huntington)1
Madrid 1 Augt. 1781
Sir
Your Exys Favr. of the 28 May2 & the Duplicate of it, have been come to my Hands thro those of the minister by whose Courier they were brought from Cadiz to this City.
Every thing ^wh^ that Letter rendered proper for me to do has been done. The Issue is as yet uncertain. The Court are gone to St. Ildefonso— I follow Tomorrow—for the Captors of the Dover Cutter I have as yet only been able to obtain Promises.3 Mr. Gardoqui is still here—it is said he will soon depart— The Duke of Crillons Fleet has passed by Gibralter; & Report says he is gone to Port Mahon—4
I cannot by this opportunity enter into Details nor indeed is it very important that I should.
Congress may rest assured of my utmost Endeavours to fulfill their Instructions, & that the Approbation with wh. they have honored by past Proceedings will stimulate me to render my subsequent ones as worthy of their Commendation as Zeal & unremitted Attention and unceasing Zeal in their Service can atchieve— I have the Honor to be with great Respect & Esteem yr Exys most obedient and h. Se[rvant]
Prest of Congress
Dft, NNC (EJ: 7761).
1. Although Thomas McKean had been elected president of Congress on 10 July, JJ is here replying to the letter of 28 May 1781, written by then president of Congress Samuel Huntington, above. For JJ’s further response to the 28 May letter, see his letter to the President of Congress of 3 Oct., below.
2. The President of Congress to JJ, 28 May, above.
3. See JJ to Floridablanca, 28 June 1781, above.
4. The duc de Crillon commanded a secret combined Franco-Spanish expedition whose objective was to take Minorca. The fleet had sailed from Cádiz on 21 July 1781 and forced the capitulation of Port Mahon in early February 1782, thereby returning Minorca to Spain. See , 232–36, 267; , 18: 31–32; and , 5: 175.