John Jay Papers

To John Jay from Jedidiah Morse, 9 August 1809

From Jedidiah Morse

New Haven Augt. 9. 1809

Respected & dear Sir,

I had intended to have paid my respects to you, at Bedford, on my return from N. York yesterday; but the precariousness of the weather, & a severe headach, together with the difficulty of obtaining a conveyance from the stage road, prevented. I hope one day to have the pleasure of seeing you at your house, should our lives be prolonged.

I have undertaken, should I ever have the liesure, to continue “A General History of the United States,” (particularly in reference to the remarkable interpositions of divine Providence in favor of this country from its Settlem[en]t. to this day) begun by Revd. Dr. Trumbull, & whh he has brought down to the year 1766, in M.S. ready for the press.—1 With events in our country since that period, you, sir, are more intimately acquainted than most other men. I have a great desire to avail myself of such information, as to events & facts, most prominent & interesting, as you possess, & shall be willing to communicate— In a personal interview I could have more fully disclosed my wishes, & plan— My present limited time for writing, & hurried state, prevents enlargement at this time by writing— I barely suggest the general object (in confidence at present) for your consideration; should you, sir, be disposed to aid its accomplishment, I will write you at a future time of more liesure & less hurry, more fully on the subject.— In the mean time, I take the liberty to enclose you a sermon of Dr. Buchanan’s,2 which has afforded us much pleasure, who have read it; in the belief that it will give you high gratification. Believe me Dr. Sir, with sincere & affectionate respect your friend & servt.

Jedh. Morse

Pray excuse marks of haste, as I write on the wing.

ALS, NNC (EJ: 09553). For JJ’s reply, see his letter to Morse, 16 Aug. 1809, below.

1Benjamin Trumbull (1735–1820), Yale-educated clergyman and historian. Morse refers to Trumbull’s General history of the United States of America, from the discovery in 1492, to 1792, or, sketches of the divine agency, in their settlement, growth, and protection; and especially in the late memorable revolution (3 vols., Boston, 1765–1810; Early Am. Imprints, series 2, no. 21527).

2Probably Claudius Buchanan’s (1766–1815) sermon, The star in the East; a sermon preached in the parish-church of St. James, Bristol, on Sunday, February 26, 1809, for the benefit of the Society of Missions to Africa and the East (New Haven, 1809; Early Am. Imprints, series 2, no. 17102), which was reprinted in 1809 to benefit the Connecticut Bible Society, of which Morse was a founder. Buchanan was a low-church Church of England missionary.

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