From John Jay to the President of Congress (Nathaniel Gorham), 10 August 1786
To the President of Congress (Nathaniel Gorham)
Office for foreign Affairs 10th. August 1786
Sir
I have this Moment received an Order of Congress in the following Words vizt. “That the Secretary for foreign Affairs state to Congress without Delay any Information he may have received respecting the sentiments of the Court of France touching our Right of navigating the Mississippi, also that he state to Congress the territorial Claims of Spain on the east Side of the Mississippi.—[”]1
Permit me Sir to observe that it is impossible to execute this Order instantly—because the Sentiments of the Court of France touching our Right to navigate the Mississippi, are to be collected from Paragraphs and Documents so mixed with the Mass of Papers in this Office as to require Time to select and copy. The Evidence we have of the territorial Claims of Spain on the east Side of the Mississippi is in the same Predicament, and some Time will be necessary to extract and arrange it.—
It would be rash in me to attempt making this Statement from Memory, especially as Omissions and Mistakes however accidental and unintentional might give Occasion to unpleasant Doubts and Conjectures.—
I shall immediately lay aside other Business, and diligently apply myself to preparing this Statement; there shall on my part be no avoidable Delay, and the moment it is finished it shall be transmitted to your Excellency2 I have the Honor to be with great Respect Your Excellency’s most obt. and very hble: Servt.
John Jay
His Excellency the President of Congress
LS, DNA: PCC, item 81, 213–14 (EJ: 3914); Dft, NNC (EJ: 5858); LbkCs, , 2: 421–22 (EJ: 2016); DNA: PCC, item 125, 57–58 (EJ: 3709).
2. See JJ’s report of 17 Aug. 1786, below.