Title
Document, 1780 April 25
Library Location
Name
Jay, John, 1745-1829 (Author)
Floridablanca, José Moñino y Redondo, conde de, 1728-1808 (Addressee)
Format
correspondence
Digital Project
Papers of John Jay
Date
1780 April 25
Physical Description
0 pages
Subjects
United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783; Jay, John, 1745-1829
Summary
Sends Floridablanca copies of Jay's and Carmichael's commissions. The government is a confederation and is responsible to the people. List of approximate population of each state, with total about three million. Sends pamphlets on government of several of the states. Says the U.S. will never give up the fight for independence. Lists 14 reasons why the U.S. will maintain this position. There are naturally some who favor England, but the number is small and Spain should not be misled by the disagreements which are natural to a popular government. Admission that the state of the revenue is not satisfactory. The states cannot always pay the taxes levied on them. Europe is engaged in curbing the power of Britain over commerce and American independence will aid this aim. We will trade peacefully with Spanish possessions in the new world. Our commerce will expand. The American army is about 30 to 35,000 men. Each state has a militia. We lack arms. The spirit of the troops is high. Jay discusses the state of the depreciated paper money and the impossibility of getting regular sums of money from the states.
Identifier
columbia.jay.03566