From John Jay to Gouverneur Morris, 20 May 1778
To Gouverneur Morris
Albany 20th. May 1778.
Dear Morris
Accept my thanks for the last letter I received from you, and the papers inclosed in it.1
The report of Congress on the subject of Lord North’s Bills was too strikingly marked with Morris not to be known by his friends to have been produced by his pen. Your history of that business gives me pleasure, as it acquits you of certain paragraphs which I could not understand the propriety of, especially considering the influence they were intended to have in illustrating the propositions meant to be supported.—
Our friend Livingston is with his wife, in Jersey. When he will return I have not learned, nor can conjecture. Gov.2 Schuyler will be returned a senator and Abm. Yates with him.—3 It will not be long before the former will join you; and, as he will be able to give you a true idea of our state and Politics, I forbear committing them to paper.— It is sufficient for me to say that our friends have been and always will be too sanguine and too lazy— Adieu.
John Jay
Tr, MH: Sparks (EJ: 5352). Addressed: “The Hon’ble / Gouverneur Morris Esqr. / A delegate from the State of New York / Congress / York Town—”.
1. See above, Gouverneur Morris to JJ, 3 May 1778.
2. Thus in manuscript. Probably a mistranscription for “Gen.”
3. There was a dispute over Philip Schuyler’s election when the senate met 13 Oct. 1778. It was never settled during that session, and there is no record of Schuyler’s having attended. , 110; Votes and Proceedings of the Senate of the State of New York (Fishkill, 1777 [1779]), 123.