From John Jay to Gouverneur Morris, 5 November 1780
To Gouverneur Morris
Madrid 5 Nov 1780
Dr Morris,
Three of your Letters have reached me— The last was of the 12 July—1 Some of mine to you were worth little, and their Miscarriage ^was^ of little other ^no^ Consequence, than you having there was one however from Madrid which I wish may come to your Hands—it was interesting—2
I had heard of your misfortune and felt it— A Gentleman in France wrote me3 that Mrs Plater4 have after having made much use of your legs had been the occasiond of your losing one of them— Susan informs Mrs. Jay that you have behaved properly on the occasion, that is, with Fortitude—5 This was a Consolation— I could write you twenty consolatory ^several common place^ things on the Occasion ^Subject^—but you know what I feel ^for^ and think of you.
Where are you? What are you knowing ^doing^— Achilles made no Figure at the spinning Wheel—Dont bury your Talents under a Petticoat—6
The State of New York I am take to be your Field, if prudently cultivated it will yield you much. Letters, ^tho the best^ are poor Substitutes for Conversation, but we must be content— I wish to hear many things of and from you.
Mrs. Jay is in tolerable Health— She had ^has^ had a fine little Daughter, but she is gone Home, and I am resigned— I have it in Charge from Mrs. Jay to say many friendly things to you. But you know how
The drawing Bills on me was impolitic in twenty ^many^ Respects—Mississippi The Navigation &c. is strongly insisted upon. I have Fair Promises of Aids but no Performance ^litle or not per^. ^Many^ Delays in Abundance either unavoidable or designed—Spain seems ^The Court^ undecided & waiting the Result of Events Britain is ^The British^ courting them—The Views of France are not ^altogether^ so clear to me. Why was not Ternay reinforced supported?7 depend on yourselves principally Be silent about these Matters. The french Embassador8 here has excellent Intelligence from Ph. ^your City^. I suspect Livingston & Schuyler are Favorites at the great House.9 I know very ^but^ little of what passes among you and shall be obliged to you for such Facts of publick & private Matters as you may think interesting—What are ^is^ A. Lee and Izard about?10 I have had some Letters ^from^ Deane—he is much displeased with ^what he calls ^^thinks^^ the Duplicity of^ certain Persons in America. Who in particular I dont know—Neither he or Bankroft write to Carmichael, why I cannot yet discover. He Deane is endeavouring to establish ^here^ a bargain he made with Miralles abt. Masts, and talks of coming here the best to promote that Object here.11 How did you & he part—12
Should this find you at Philadelphia remember me to my old Friends there—I promise ^in particular^ to ratify all the assurances of Esteem & Regard you may make for me to Mr. & Mrs. Morris13 in particular
God bless you Morris, ^Adieu^ I know you and therefore am and will be cordially Your Friend
J. J.
PS My I have recd. no Letter from my Brother tho I am hear he was at Philadelphia this Summer—14
Gouv. Morris
DftS, partly encoded, employing a book code based on Entick’s New Spelling Dictionary as described in JJ to Gouverneur Morris, 1 Mar. 1780, NNC (EJ: 8333). See “John Jay’s Use of Codes and Ciphers” (editorial note) on pp. 9–10. Code identified by Satoshi Tomokiyo. ALS and duplicate ALS not found. E in , 4: 250–51. Printed with omissions, including paragraph 2, in , 1: 444–45, and in , 1: 113–14.
2. Probably either JJ’s letter of 2 Mar., Dft, NNC (EJ: 8332), or that of 27 May 1780, Dft, John J. DuBois Collection of Jay Family Manuscripts (EJ: 9986).
3. Letter not found. Morris supposed the source was Silas Deane. See Morris to JJ, 7–9 May 1781, below. JJ had also been informed about Morris’s accident by William Bingham, RRL, and others. See Bingham to JJ, 1 July, and RRL to JJ, 6 July, above.
4. Morris convalesced in the home of George (1735–92) and Elizabeth Rousby Plater (1751–89). His romantic interest in Mrs. Plater was apparently a source of amusement among his friends. See 175–78; , 141–42.
5. Susan Livingston to SLJ, not found. In a letter of 23 May 1780, ALS, NNC (EJ: 8088), Catharine W. Livingston had also informed the Jays of Morris’s accident.
6. See Morris’s reply, 7–9 May 1781, below.
7. Here JJ appears to be echoing Silas Deane’s comments in his letter of 18–20 Sept. 1780, above, in which Deane questioned French commitment to a successful campaign, citing the inadequate support given to Ternay’s fleet at Newport.
8. The comte de Montmorin.
9. This is a reference to the John Dickinson house in Philadelphia, where the chevalier de La Luzerne had set up the French legation. RRL and Philip Schuyler were pro-French.
10. For Arthur Lee, see Deane to JJ, 16 Oct. 1780, above. Ralph Izard, another critic of Deane and BF, arrived in Philadelphia in August 1780 and immediately notified Congress of his presence. He had been recalled on 8 June 1779, and on 9 Aug. 1780, Congress resolved that, “convinced of the faithful endeavours of Mr. Izard to fulfill the objects of the commission to which he was appointed by them on the 7th of May, 1777,” they approved “of the reasons which determined him not to proceed to the court of Tuscany.” , 14: 700–701; 17: 701, 714–15.
11. See Deane to JJ, 9 and 16 Oct. 1780, and JJ to Deane, 2 Oct. 1780, above.
12. See Morris’s reply of 7–9 May 1781, below.
13. Robert and Mary White Morris.