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Subject Area: Political Theory
Topic: The American Revolution and Constitution

1805. - John Jay, The Correspondence and Public Papers of John Jay, vol. 4 (1794-1826) [1893]

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. 4 (1794-1826).

Part of: The Correspondence and Public Papers of John Jay, 4 vols.

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1805.

JAY TO LINDLEY MURRAY.

Bedford, 12th June, 1805.

Dear Sir:

I ought sooner to have written to you and thanked you for the books you sent me, and for the kind letter which accompanied them.

For a considerable time I had not leisure to pay sufficient attention to your work respecting our language. It has been much commended, and I think with much reason. Within thirty years past eloquence has made great progress in this country. Governments like ours are favourable to it. Every work which really facilitates the attainment of that influential science will meet with notice and respect. Some of our compositions, however, are not free from marks of incorrect taste, such as high-wrought verbiage and too little simplicity; new words have been admitted into our language incautiously, and in some instances old words are used in senses which did not formerly belong to them. It is to be wished that no alteration in the English language may take place in Britain or in America but such as the best writers in both countries will adopt.

Being retired from the fatigues and constraints of public life, I enjoy with real satisfaction the freedom and leisure which has at length fallen to my lot. For a long course of years I had been looking forward with desire to the tranquil retirement in which I now live, and my expectations from it have not been disappointed. I flatter myself that this is the inn at which I am to stop in my journey through life. How long I shall be detained is uncertain, but I rejoice in the prospect of the probability of being permitted to pass my remaining time in a situation so agreeable to me. Do not conclude from this that I am without cares and anxieties exclusive of those which are more or less common to all men. I have an excellent son, who has been obliged, by hectic complaints, to relinquish business and to pass two winters abroad. I hope he will recover his health, but until all doubts are removed some solicitude will remain. The truth is, that although in numerous respects I have abundant reason to be thankful, yet in others I experience the necessity and the value of patience and resignation.

That you may long continue in a capacity to do good, and to enjoy good, is the sincere wish of

Dear sir,
Your friend,

John Jay.

JAY TO JOHN MURRAY, JUN.

Bedford, 18th October, 1805.

Sir:

I have been favoured with your letter of the 2d ult. respecting the “African free school” in the city of New York. It is in my opinion a charitable and useful institution, and well entitled to encouragement and support. From your account of its present embarrassments I am induced to think that, in order to its being and remaining on a respectable and permanent footing, some vigorous and well devised measures should be taken to obtain adequate and durable funds. The uncertain donations occasionally solicited and expected from charitable but scattered and unconnected individuals will probably be always incompetent, and must obviously be too precarious to afford ground for reasonably calculating the prudence and extent of expenditures.

The existing debts should doubtless be paid; indeed, they cannot be paid too soon, and it is desirable that new ones be not contracted. For my part I am persuaded that it can very, very seldom be discreet for institutions depending on charity to contract debts, and then apply to charity to pay them.

What should be done? is the question. Two things occur to me, which I will take the liberty to suggest.

First: The Society of Friends in general, and particularly those in New York, have given more patronage to the objects connected with the school than any other society or denomination in the State, and from circumstances peculiar to their association and discipline they are enabled to pursue and accomplish their objects with more than ordinary union and effect. Hence I am led to believe that if those of your society in New York would recommend this school to the notice and liberality of their brethren in the country, and desire them also to request the aid of all well disposed persons of other denominations, in their respective neighbourhoods, a considerable sum might be collected; especially considering the prudence as well as zeal with which your affairs are usually managed. On this or any other plan which would in some degree be general throughout the country, I would readily be one of the contributors.

Secondly: I submit to your consideration the expediency of regularly putting at interest one tenth of the annual income of the school, whatever it may be and whencesoever it may arise; and invariably to bring the yearly expenses of the school to a level with the remaining nine tenths.

On this plan both the principal of the stable funds and the income of the school (so far as it comprehended the interest of the funds) would increase from year to year. In time the interest alone would form an income so considerable as to be productive of more good than if the institution had continued to depend and subsist on scanty and precarious supplies. It may also be well to consider whether the benevolent objects of this institution might not be promoted by an act of incorporation, with such provisions in it as would conduce to its stability and extend its usefulness.

Be pleased to inform me whether any particular attention is paid by the superintendents to the children after they have left it, and whether it is part of the plan to endeavour to have them bound out to trades or to service in decent families. To me it appears important that they be not left entirely either to their parents or to themselves, it being difficult to give them good morals, manners, or habits in any other way than by placing them under the care and direction of persons better qualified for those purposes than their parents generally are.

With esteem and regard I am, sir,
Your obedient servant,

John Jay.

WILLIAM WILBERFORCE TO JAY.

Elmdon-House, nearBirmingham,
November 7th, 1805.

My Dear Sir:

I am willing to flatter myself you have not quite forgotten the person who is now beginning to address you. He certainly has not forgotten you; on the contrary, he retains a lively recollection of the pleasure he derived from your society during your residence in this country, and still more of the benefit he received, especially on one important occasion, from your judicious and friendly counsel. He has never since ceased to embrace every opportunity of inquiring after you, and to take an interest in your well-being.

After this preamble, I proceed to state, that my object in now taking up the pen is, to recommend earnestly to your serious perusal and impartial consideration, a pamphlet which I will take the liberty of transmitting to you, lately published, entitled “War in Disguise, or the Frauds of the Neutral Flags.” It is spoken of in high terms by the most intelligent and respectable men I know, and is written, as I think you will agree with me, with considerable knowledge of its subject, as well as with great spirit and eloquence. Its general tenor is so clearly indicated by its title, at least to you who are experimentally acquainted with the topics of which it treats, that I need say nothing on that head; I will only beg leave to assure you, that I took it up with very strong prejudices against the conclusions which I understood the author endeavoured to establish, on account of the strong disposition I invariably feel to cultivate and promote a friendly connexion between our two countries. I cannot but be anxious to hear what reception it meets with on your side of the Atlantic. That those whose interest is at stake will endeavour to raise a cry, is no more than what we must expect. Happy shall I be, if this is countervailed by the opposite opinion of men of sense, knowledge, and impartiality. Nothing could have brought me over to the doctrines the pamphlet lays down, but a deliberate and firm persuasion, that on our practical adoption of them (I would not hastily affirm to what extent) depends, according to all human appearances, not merely the maritime superiority, but the very existence of this empire. The author appears to me to have left very short that part of his work in which he speaks of the effects, on our marine and our maritime interests, of the continuance of the present abuses. The work, I happen to know, was written in haste, and in a bad state of health; and though the production of a man who was actuated by a sense of duty, and had taken great pains to inform himself, it is in some parts faulty, in the composition and language especially; but knowing to whom I am writing, it would be mere impertinence to do more than introduce it to your notice. I leave it, not without solicitude, but yet with good hope, to your intelligence, experience, equity, and temper.

I heartily wish this may find you in the enjoyment of good health and personal comfort. You will not, I trust, think it improper egotism if, relying on your friendly remembrance, I add, that I thank God I am favoured with great domestic felicity,—having a wife and five children, the youngest born only about two months ago. I should scarcely know where to leave off, if I allowed myself to touch on any of those numerous and interesting topics which press themselves on my attention while writing to you. I will, however, abstain from them all, and take my leave; assuring you that I am ever, with cordial esteem and regard, my dear sir,

Yours very sincerely,

W. Wilberforce.

P. S.—If you do me the favour to answer this letter, my address is always London.