1Instructions from Congress to John Jay, 4 October 1780 (Jay Papers)
Instructions to the Honorable John Jay Minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America at the Court of Madrid agreed to unanimously in Congress Oct r . 4 th . 1780 That the said Minister adhere to his former instructions respecting the right of the United States of America to the free navigation of the river Mississippi into and from the sea, which right if an express acknowledgment...
I have received your letter of the 27 May and the duplicate with the prints for which I am much obliged and will embrace the first opportunity of transmitting one set of the prints agreeably to your request to general Schuyler. I have been anxious with respect to your being regularly informed of what is passing here. Many things have happened of which you ought to be acquainted. I perceive the...
My last gave you some account of the situation of affairs in the Southern department. The total defeat of the army under gen l . Gates on the 16 th August left the enemy at liberty to over run S. Carolina without annoyance accept from the militia who being but thinly scattered over an extensive Country could not soon be collected in the face of a powerful and victorious enemy. However the...
4To John Jay from Charles Thomson, 14 January 1784 (Jay Papers)
I rec d . your favour by M r Thaxter with the prints enclosed. We are at a loss what to think of this new invention, or what the curious will make of it if real. Time must determine whether it is only for the amusement of Children or may be improved to useful purposes. I sincerely congratulate you on the return of peace, and it is my most ardent prayer that the US may improve the opportunity...
5To John Jay from Charles Thomson, 15 January 1784 (Jay Papers)
Though I am sensible that lieut Col D. S. Franks, who is the bearer of this needs no introduction or recommendation to you, yet I cannot suffer him to go without a line from me. He is intrusted with a triplicate Ratification of the definitive treaty, which passed yesterday, the first time we have had nine States represented since Oct r . last, and which was done with the unanimous consent not...
6To John Jay from Charles Thomson, 18 June 1784 (Jay Papers)
On the 16 I had the pleasure of receiving your letter of 7 April and am extremely obliged by the attention you have paid to my letter in favour of M r I. Norris. I am sensible on what slight grounds such recommendations are too often given and how much trouble they often occasion to men in public character. But I had a long and intimate acquaintance with his family, which held a very...
7To John Jay from Charles Thomson, 29 July 1784 (Jay Papers)
Being informed of your safe arrival at New York I embrace the earliest opportunity of Congratulating you on that event and hope M rs . Jay and your little family are all well. On the 18 of June I wrote to inform you that I had received your letter of 7 April and to thank you for the attention you paid to my letter in favour of M r I. Norris. As the post sets out sooner than I expected I shall...
8To John Jay from Charles Thomson, 9 August 1784 (Jay Papers)
As M r Henry Remsen the bearer of this has obtained leave to visit his father and friends in New York, I could not suffer him to pass without a line to you. In April last Congress appointed him under Secretary in the Office of foreign Affairs that he might open & take charge of the papers which had till that time remained sealed up from M r Livingston’s quitting the Office. Before that...
9To John Jay from Charles Thomson, 18 September 1784 (Jay Papers)
I should have answered your letter ^ of 12 Aug. ^ much sooner, had I not from the tenor of it flattered myself with the hopes of seeing you here in a very short time. I wish exceedingly to see and converse with you not only on the subject of your acceptance but on the general State of our Affairs. There is at present no person whose business or whose duty it is to attend to matters of national...
On the intimation contained in your first letter of the 2 d . Congress have been pleased to pass an Act of which the enclosed is a copy, vesting you with the necessary powers. It is the desire of Congress that this be kept as secret as the nature of the case will admit; for which reason I have not entrusted it to the inspection of any of the young men in my Office. In consequence of a report...