From John Jay to Robert Morris, 3 October 1781
To Robert Morris
St. Ildefonso 3. Oct—1781
Dr Sir,
An excellent french Translation ^of your Letter^ of the 4th. July1 was delivered to the Minister on the 8— Ulto.— Nothing has yet been promised nor refused, nor will probably soon be—
My Letter to Congress by Majr. Franks will explain the Reasons of my havg thus long detained him, & will also give you a good Idea of what you may expect from hence. I must also refer you to my Letter of 1st. September2
I have given the Majr. a particular Rect. for the Papers he brought me. He
will carry a Copies of your Letter of 4 July & of the other Papers contained in your Packet No. 1 to Dr. Franklin.3
I recd. Yesterday, Via Cadiz your Letter of 29 July last— I have not yet had time to decypher the Enclosures— Be assured however that whatever Business they may call my attention to, shall be most chearfully and punctually undertaken—4
I enclose the Majr. Franks’s Rect. for the twenty pounds Stirling paid him, agreable to your Request—5 I am perfectly satisfied with this Gentleman. You will find the account of his Expenses higher than you expected— I believe they were unavoidable— Strangers are surprized at the Expence of travelling in this Country, and say it exceeds that of any other part of Europe—
I am too much fatigued to add any further at present than what in every Situation it will give me Pleasure to have an opportunity of [dem?] saying ^acknowledging viz^ that I am ^Dr Sir^ with great & sincere Regard Your obliged & obt. Sert
The Hon’ble Robt Morris Esqr S. I. F. &c &c.
Dft, NNC (EJ: 9327).
1. Morris to JJ, 4 July, above. On Robert Morris’s attempt to negotiate bills of exchange in Havana, see “Spain’s Finances and the Bills Drawn on John Jay” (editorial note) on pp. 371–72, note 14.
2. JJ to Morris, 1 Sept., above.
3. See JJ to BF, 3 Oct., Dft, NNC (EJ: 7809), and , 35: 553–54; and JJ to Robert Morris, 1 Sept. 1781, above.
4. See Robert Morris to JJ, 29 July, LS, in “Office of Finance Cipher Number 1” (WE006), with decoded copy, NNC (EJ: 7008, 7009); LbkCs, in code and decoded, DLC: Morris (EJ: 10231, 10270); and , 1: 412. For the enclosures, Morris to the Governor of Cuba and to Robert Smith, both 17 July, see , 1: 311–16, 318–22. For the rescinding of the instructions found in this letter and its enclosures regarding the negotiation in Havana of bills of exchange drawn on JJ, see Morris to JJ, 15 Aug., above.
5. Enclosure not found.