Title
[Document, 1783 January 04]
Library Location
Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Columbia University
Name
Livingston, Robert R., 1746-1813 (Author)
Jay, John, 1745-1829 (Addressee)
Format
correspondence
Digital Project
Papers of John Jay
Date
January 04, 1783
Language
English
Physical Description
4 pages
Subjects
United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783; Jay, John, 1745-1829
Summary
Livingston hopes that Jay's conjectures concerning France are unfounded. France knows too well the condition of the United States to suppose that we might consider a separate peace. It would be to the advantage of France to allow England to acknowledge American independence at once without holding out for French concessions which might be refused and thus incline America to consider separate proposals. French answers to the direct proposal of Great Britain and that of the Imperial Courts seem to have been based on this reasoning. (Remainder of the letter is contained in NNC: 7943) Grenville commission made Vergennes hope that negotiations would open with an unconditional acknowledgment of independence, but the change in administration brought an alteration in this essential article. Vergennes now thinks that Shelburne wanted to "divide and deceive." Vergennes does not intend to interfere in the Spanish demands, but Livingston thinks that France's position toward Spain is very delicate and that Vergennes is embarrassed by Spanish demands. Livingston is not surprised by the letter from Marbois. He had always thought that the American claim to the fisheries was not well-founded. But France has done nothing to discourage our hope for the fishery. France certainly sees that if England would become our protector in the fishery, American allegiance would soon change. Livingston thinks that Jay's opinion of the Marquis d'Aranda may be wrong. "The last hope of Britain is founded on the distrusts they may sow among their enemies." Livingston is interested in the letter from Marbois. The British Commissioners may have altered it. Livingston has shown Jay's propositions to la Luzerne, even though Jay had not sent them to the French.
Identifier
columbia.jay.07945