From John Jay to George Washington, [4 May 1794]

To George Washington

NYork Sunday morng. [4 May 1794]

Dr Sir

Your Letter to the chancellor went the Day after I wrote to You by his Mother to Clermont; and that Day I frequently heard that the Appointment to France had been offered to him—1 Mrs. Montgomery mentioned it I am told without Reserve— whence they learned it I cannot conjecture.

I have just been reading a Pamphlet written by Noah Webster which is in some Respects interesting— I take the Liberty of enclosing it—2 By next Saturday I shall be ready to sail, and am assured that the Vessel will then be ready also.3 The Measure of suspending hostile and angry proceedings until the Effect of Negociation shall be decided, meets here with warm and general approbation; and your Prudence and moderation has been commended in every Conversation at which I have been present since my Return— it is a constant theme with old Doctr. Rodgers, whose congregation comprizes many irregular Spirits, by which I mean persons inclined to change and not friendly to the present State of Things—4

A little vessel has lately arrived here from St. Domingo— she carried a large Quantity of Powder, covered over with Indian corn— she was stopped and examined by an armed Vessel, who deceived by the corn, permitted her to pass; she has made a great Voyage, and with little prudence the Story is told I am Dr Sir Your obliged & faithful Servt

John Jay

The Presidt. of the U. S.—

ALS, DLC: Washington (EJ: 10612). Dft, MH (EJ: 05358).

1. GW to RRL, 29 Apr., inquiring whether RRL would accept the post of minister to France, forwarded in GW’s letter to JJ of the same date. PGW: PS description begins Dorothy Twohig et al., eds., The Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series (19 vols. to date; Charlottesville, Va., 1987–) description ends , 15: 674, 676. RRL declined the post in his letter to GW of 10 May 1794, whereupon the position was offered to James Monroe. PGW: PS description begins Dorothy Twohig et al., eds., The Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series (19 vols. to date; Charlottesville, Va., 1987–) description ends , 16: 51; Dangerfield, Robert R. Livingston description begins George Dangerfield, Chancellor Robert R. Livingston of New York, 1746–1813 (New York, 1960) description ends , 269.

2. Probably Noah Webster’s The Revolution in France, Considered in Respect to Its Progress and Effects (New York, 1794; Early Am. Imprints description begins Early American Imprints, series 1: Evans, 1639–1800 [microform; digital collection], edited by American Antiquarian Society, published by Readex, a division of Newsbank, Inc. Accessed: Columbia University, New York, N.Y., 2006–16, http://infoweb.newsbank.com/; Early American Imprints, series 2: Shaw-Shoemaker, 1801–1819 [microform; digital collection], edited by American Antiquarian Society, published by Readex, a division of Newsbank, Inc. Accessed: Columbia University, New York, N.Y., 2006–16, http://infoweb.newsbank.com/ description ends , no. 28053).

3. JJ sailed on the Ohio on 12 May. See the editorial note “The Jay Treaty: Appointment and Instructions,” above.

4. Dr. John Rodgers, pastor of the Wall Street Presbyterian Church in New York City.

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Source Project: Jay Papers
Title: From John Jay to George Washington, [4 May 1794]
Author: Jay, John
Recipient: Washington, George
Date: 4 May 1794

Reference

Cite as: “From John Jay to George Washington, [4 May 1794],” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jay/01-05-02-0313. [Original source: The Selected Papers of John Jay, vol. 5, 1788–1794, ed. Elizabeth M. Nuxoll. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2017, p. 630.]

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