From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 12 April 1799
To Peter Augustus Jay
Albany 12 Ap 1799
Dear Peter
I have recd. your Letter of the 4 March—April was doubtless the month—1From the Information it contains relative to the apple Tree Boards, which I am glad to find have been taken proper Care of, it appears that you have recd. the Letter from me on that Subject— I hope the others have also reached you.2 Your attention in writing to the Majr. about the House, gives me pleasure— I wish the Subject was equally agreable to him— His real Intentions will soon become more manifest— I expect to make him a Visit next month.3
The sooner Mr Rutherfurds Business shall be finished, the better—4 but as it is now in a good Train, nothing remains for us but to keep it so; and not by unnecessary Delays risque the obstacles which Death or new Views may produce.
The New York federal Ticket is not a bad one— The public will gain nothing by leaving Mr Jones5 out of the Legislature— He has been without Exception, taken for all and all, the most useful Man in it— In this and the Neighbouring Counties the Federalists find it difficult to move together— a Rage for being in the Legislature germinates a swarm of Candidates— all of them cannot be gratified, and too many of those who are not preferred, become at least indifferent to the Issue of the Election— Such is human nature, and so little are the multitude guided by the great Principles of Wisdom and Virtue, which are so often professed and so frequently abandoned—6
Maria left us yesterday, in Capn. Trotters Sloop— What does your uncle F. purpose to do?— His Situation gives me uneasiness, and the more so as he does not seem inclined to make the Efforts necessary to extricate himself from it—7 I am your affectionate Father,
John Jay
Peter Augustus Jay Esqr.
^[in margin] P.S. You have several copies of 1 Vol. Belknaps Biography—when a good opportunity offers send one (in your own name) to Bedford Library—^8
ALS, NyKaJJH (EJ: 09982).
1. Letter not found.
2. Letters not found.
3. For earlier labor performed on Jay’s property in Bedford by Samuel Lyon, see JJ to SLJ, 13 Mar. 1795, , 6: 302, 303n5; and PAJ to JJ, 29 Dec. 1798, , 6: 715. For the current construction of Jay’s house in Bedford, see JJ to PAJ, 15 Apr. 1799, ALS, NyKaJJh (EJ: 09983).
4. John Rutherfurd was seeking a partition deed formally dividing the Chenango tract in Tioga County, N.Y. Matthew Clarkson had purchased 16,000 acres from the state of New York in May 1786, apparently acting as agent for JJ and Rutherfurd. Rutherfurd later wished to sell his portion, a measure to which JJ agreed, but a legal division of ownership was apparently needed to facilitate the sale. PAJ had supervised a survey of the Chenango property in the autumn of 1798. See Rutherfurd to JJ, 24 June 1795, ALS, NNC (EJ: 07083); JJ to Rutherfurd, 27 June 1795, C, NNC (EJ: 08943); Rutherfurd to PAJ; 1 Mar. 1798, ALS, NyRyJHC: Jay Dubois; PAJ to Rutherfurd, 5 Jan. 1799, Dft, NNC (EJ: 10037); Rutherfurd to PAJ, 26 Feb. 1799, C, NNC (EJ: 06080); PAJ to JJ, 10 Apr. 1799, ALS, NNC (EJ: 06079); Dft, NyKaJJH (EJ: 09969); JJ to PAJ, 15 Apr. 1799, ALS, NyKaJJH (EJ: 09983); PAJ to JJ, 3 May 1799, below; Dft and Tr, NNC (EJ: 09965); PAJ to PJM, 14 Nov. 1798, Dft, NNC (EJ: 90168); PAJ to Peter Jay, 15 Nov. 1798, Dft, unknown repository. JJ proceeded to sell a portion of his share in the Chenango tract in 1800. See JJ and PAJ, Power of Attorney to Joshua Mersereau Jr., 31 Jan. 1800, DS, NHi: John Jay Ide (EJ: 12308); and Agreement with Isaac Page, 20 Mar. 1800, DS, NHi: Misc. Mss., Chenango (EJ: 00645).
5. Possibly Samuel Jones, state comptroller, who also served as senator for New York’s Southern District from 1790 to 1799.
6. On the Federalist slate for the state legislature and its significance, see PAJ to JJ, 3 May 1799, and notes, below.