Description:

John Jay
London, England, July 6, 1794
John Jay Letter Written to Wife While Negotiating the Jay Treaty: "There is room for hope..."
ALS
John Jay unsigned 3-page manuscript written while in London negotiating the Jay Treaty. 3pp, measuring 7.5" x 9.25", London, dated July 6, 1794. Unsigned and addressed to his wife, Sally. Jay discusses recent current, weather, and travel plans, and also muses on the future success of his "mission" in England. An interesting letter from the start of what would become Jay's greatest diplomatic achievement. Jay makes several strike-throughs and emendations throughout. Partial separations to mailing folds and light show-through from writing to opposing sides, otherwise fine condition.

In part:

"All this day have I been constantly employed in writing letters. The number of applications made to me on subjects unconnected with my public or private affairs, have consumed more time than I could with any convenience spare. Vessels will sail in the course of this week to America, and it is necessary and proper that I should write by then. You have seen me in similar situations before, and how little leisure I had for the pleasure of writing to my particular friends. I am happy however in having a degree of health which enables me to dispatch these incidental affairs with so much expedition as to prevent their accumulating upon me. Yesterday I had the satisfaction of receiving your kind letter…To be assured that you were all well is a pleasing circumstance. God grant that you may all continue so…[So you have had a sad storm, and the pop lars are blown down. I feel more affected by the apprehensions it excited in your mind than for any damage it may have done to our trees]…Your description of the violent storm and the apprehensions wh[ich] it excited in yr mind occasion emotions not easily described. I think it providential that we hastened away as we did. On the 29 May we were beyond its reach—but God governs on the oceans as well as on the land, and no events take place without his permission or appointment…

Has Mr. Munro concluded with Col. Post - do you know how things go on at Bedford? You know how to write home in such a manner as that if the Letters shd miscarry no inconveniences will happen…I know how anxious you must be to hear of our safe arrival, and am equally so that intelligence of it may soon reach you…How my mission will terminate I cannot yet decide. There is room for hope, and also some for doubt. I wish it was finished that I may again take my place in our little domestic circle—never I hope to leave it again while I live. However being in the way of my duty I must resign and be comforted…"

It was at this time that Jay was residing in England to negotiate the now infamous "Jay Treaty," which he and Alexander Hamilton drew up, and which is credited for averting war between the newly established United States and Great Britain. With an urgent need for a peaceful and functional economic relationship with Britain, President Washington sent Jay to London in the summer of 1794 in hopes of resolving several ongoing, post-Revolution military and commercial disputes. After drawn out negotiations, the two nations reached an agreement on November 19, defining terms that would expel royal troops from America's western frontiers, send the issue of Britain's debts to arbitration, and grant US ships access to trade routes in and around English ports. Though the Jay Treaty, as it became known, failed to address some key issues—including compensation for slaves evacuated by the British during the Revolution—and was hotly contested in the burgeoning States, it did facilitate nearly a decade of peace and fruitful trade.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 7.5" x 9.25"
  • Medium: ALS

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