John Jay Papers

To John Jay from Montmorin, 13 April 1780

From Montmorin

[Aranjuez, 13 April 1780]

M. de Montmorin a reçu ce matin le billet de M. Jay. Il le remercie de l’avis qu’il veut bien lui faire passer. Mr. de Montmorin en sent toute l’importance; et quoiqu’il soit bien loin de former le moindre doute sur la façon de penser du Ministere Espagnol il ne laissera pas de prendre ses précautions pour être instruit de tout ce qui pourroit avoir raport a l’arrivée de Sir John Dalrymple. Il exhorte M. Jay à en faire autant de son côté. Les cours sont souvent si remplies d’intrigues qu’il ne faut rien negliger pour les découvrir. Il repete au surplus qu’il n’a pas le plus leger motif de se défier du Ministere Espagnol, mais au contraire les plus fortes raisons d’avoir toute confiance dans sa droiture et dans la solidité de ses principes.1

M. de Montmorin prie M. Jay de recevoir tous ces compliments et de vouloir bien présenter son respectueux hommage a Madame Jay

Il a l’honneur de faire observer à M Jay que toutes les lettres qui parviennent par la voie ordinaire sont ouvertes et lues. Il seroit donc convenable, lorsque M. Jay voudra faire savoir à l’Ambassadeur quelque chose d’important de ne confier ses lettres qu’à une occasion sûre ou d’envoyer un exprès si le case est pressant2

[Translation]

M. de Montmorin received this morning Mr. Jay’s note, and thanks him for the information. M. de Montmorin is fully sensible of the importance of it, and although he is far from entertaining the least doubt on the sentiments of the Spanish ministry, he will not fail to take the precaution to be informed of everything connected with Sir John Dalrymple’s arrival. He advises Mr. Jay to follow the same course. Courts are so beset with intrigues that nothing should be neglected which may tend to discover them. He repeats that he has not the slightest cause to suspect the Spanish ministry, but, on the contrary, has the strongest reasons for confiding in its integrity and honor.

M. de Montmorin begs Mr. Jay to accept his compliments, and to present his respectful homage to Mrs. Jay.

He has the honor to observe to Mr. Jay that all letters sent through ordinary channels are opened and read. It would then be appropriate, when Mr. Jay will want to inform the Ambassador about something important, to only entrust his letters to a secure opportunity or to send an express if the matter is urgent.

AL, in French, NNC (EJ: 7981). Endorsed: “Count Montmorin / Ap. 1780”. E, in French, dated 13 Apr., FrPMAE: CP-E, 598: 398. C, undated, in French, enclosed in JJ to the President of Congress, 26 May, below, where it is described as received “immediately” following JJ’s letter to Montmorin of 11 Apr. LbkCs, DNA: PCC, item 110, 1: 148 (EJ: 4104); NNC: JJ Lbks. 1 and 5; CSmH. English translation from RDC description begins Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States (6 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1889) description ends , 3: 726–27. Final sentence translated by the editors.

1The CP-E extract, enclosed in Montmorin’s dispatch no. 41, dated 14 Apr. 1780, ends here.

2This paragraph does not appear in the copy enclosed in JJ to the President of Congress, 26 May, below.

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