JAMES DUANE TO JAY. - John Jay, The Correspondence and Public Papers of John Jay, vol. 1 (1763-1781) [1890]
Edition used:
The Correspondence and Public Papers of John Jay, ed. Henry P. Johnston, A.M. (New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1890-93). Vol. 1 (1763-1781).
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JAMES DUANE TO JAY.
I wrote you, my dear Sir, a hasty scrawl by the post on a most important subject. You know the Maryland Instructions and those of Pensylvania. I am greatly in doubt whether either of their Assemblies or Conventions will listen to a recommendation the preamble of which so openly avows independence & separation. The lower Counties will probably adhere to Pensylvania. New Jersey you can gain a good judgement of from the reception this important Resolution has met with. The orators of Virginia with Col. Henry at their head are against a Change of Government; the body of the people, Col. Nelson, on whose authority you have this sent, thinks are for it. The late Election of Deputies for the Convention of New York sufficiently proves that those who assumed [excessive] ferver & gave laws even to the Convention & Committees were unsupported by the people. There seems therefore no reason that our Colony shou’d be too precipitate in changing the present mode of Government. I wou’d first be well assured of the opinion of the Inhabitants at large. Let them be rather followed than driven on an occasion of such moment. But, above all, let us see the conduct of the middle Colonies before we come to a decision: It cannot injure us to wait a few weeks: the advantage will be great for this trying question will clearly discover the true principles & the extent of the Union of the Colonies. This, my dear Sir, is a delicate subject on which I cannot enlarge at present. If I can be [of service] I would immediately set out and give you a meeting—pray hasten the release of one of the Gentlemen. I know you ought to be at the Convention who are not informed of the state and temper of their neighbours, & want, at least in this Respect, some Assistance.
I am pleased with the situation Mr. Livingston has found for your Saturday’s retreat on the Banks of the [Delaware]—nothing cou’d have been more convenient. Present my compliments to Mrs. Jay and
believe me to be with great Regard
Dr. Sir
your affectionate & most obdt. Servt.
Jas. Duane.
Philad., 18th May, 1776.
Duane was one of the delegates from New York in the Continental Congress. In the first sentence of the above letter he refers to one of May 16th, in which he wrote to Jay as follows:
“Yesterday, my dear Friend, was an important day productive of the Resolutions of which I enclose you a copy. I shall not enter into particulars: the Resolution itself first passed and then a Committee was appointed to fit it with a preamble. Compare them with each other and it will probably lead you into Reflections which I dare not point out. I hope you will relieve me soon as I am impatient to visit my Friends: I look upon Business here to be in such a train that I can well be spared.” The resolution referred to change of colonial governments already mentioned.
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