The polite and respectful terms in which you are pleased to communicate your approbation of our conduct, in an important office, demand our most sincere and grateful acknowledgments. Honoured by the united suffrages of our fellow-citizens, and animated by a sense of duty, and the most cordial affection for our oppressed country, however unequal to the delicate and arduous task, we undertook it...
2From John Jay to the Earl of Dartmouth, 25 March 1773 (Jay Papers)
Tho a Stranger to your Lordship, I take the Liberty of troubling you with the inclosed Petition of the Inhabitants of New Britain, Settlement on the Frontier of this Province. Principles of Humanity my Lord! have led me to interest myself in Behalf of these unhappy People; and I forbear paying an ill Compliment to a generous Mind, by endeavouring to apologize for giving it an opportunity, of...
When our common Liberties are invaded, our dearest Rights in Danger, and a whole Continent loudly called upon to defend and secure themselves against high handed Oppression: the Confidence reposed in us as Delegates of your respectable County is a distinguished Honour, which excites our most affectionate Esteem and demands our most grateful Acknowledgments. While we lament that our Talents are...
4From John Jay to John Tabor Kempe, 2 January 1772 (Jay Papers)
The Receipt of your Letter should have been acknowledged before had I not been out of Town when it was delivered. If by withholding an Explanation you mean to punish me for a Defe supposed Defect in Constitution, or Inaccuracy in Mode of Expression, you certainly Sir! fix your Resentment on Objects too triffling to merit serious Severity. To think with Freedom & to speak with Sincerity I knew...
5From John Jay to John Tabor Kempe, 27 December 1771 (Jay Papers)
Your Doubts respecting Faulkners Declaration appear well founded, and the Remarks contained in your Letter judicious. I concieve the Charge of his having robbed the Company imports no more than a Breach of Trust—if so, it would be hazardous to insert those Counts: if we recover Damages it will be on the other, I am therefore for resting the Cause upon them, and think the Partnership should ^...
6From John Jay to Benjamin Kissam, 12 August 1766 (Jay Papers)
To tell you that I often find myself at a loss for something to say, would be telling you nothing new; but to inform you that whenever I sit down to write, my invention makes a point of quarrelling with my pen, will doubtless be to account for the . . . in my letters. In writing to those who, I know, prefer honest hearts to clear heads, I turn thought out of doors, and set down the first ideas...
7From John Jay to Samuel Kissam, 1 March 1770 (Jay Papers)
The manner in which you tell your brother that you expected a letter from me contains a reproof which gives me pain. I confess appearances have been against me, and my conduct even to you, my friend, must have appeared exceptionable. My last letter I hope will apologize for seeming omissions; you have doubtless received it before this. Neglect of friends is a species of littleness to which I...
8From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 2 April 1765 (Jay Papers)
After we parted last Saturday Evening I retired to my Room, and spent the remaining part of it in reflecting upon the Transactions of the Day, particularly such of them as emediately related to our present and future Connection. I always find myself greatly embarrassed, when I attempt to speak my Sentiments on a Subject that very nearly concerns me; it was this which prevented me from saying...
9From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 1 May 1765 (Jay Papers)
Studious to avoid every Suspicion that m[ torn ] ous to the good opinion which you say you [ torn ] of my Sincerity, I pass over the usual Formality of [my wr]iting, till I received a Letter from you, and now pay that Debt to Friendship, which tho’ before due I had not an Opportunity of discharging— By your Letter to me (expressed in very general Terms) you seemed to distrust the Reality of...
10From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 4 March 1766 (Jay Papers)
I received Yours of the 1 st . March Yesterday. altho I did not suspect any Part of my Letter to be misterious or unintelligable, I confess I imagin d , you would hesitate in answering to every Part of it—There was a Hobby Horse in the Way. You have it seems been highly entertained of late, and by your Account of the Matter have attained every Qualification necessary to form a Buck, & entittle...