Title
[Document, 1818 December 12]
Library Location
Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Columbia University
Name
Peters, Richard, 1743-1828 (Author)
Jay, John, 1745-1829 (Addressee)
Format
correspondence
Digital Project
Papers of John Jay
Date
December 12, 1818
Language
English
Physical Description
3 pages
Subjects
United States--History--1783-1865; Jay, John, 1745-1829
Summary
Finds enjoyment in "living" with old friends in the manner that Swedenborgians commune with departed spirits. Is not afflicted with the usual maladies of old age, attributing this to good spirits, temperance, and constant use of cold baths. Continues in his judicial employment. Congress is about to remodel the department; the state of things is now so changed from their day that it is more surprising that judicial arrangements should have continued effective so long than that they should now be altered. Continues in rural enjoyments, and is sending the fourth volume of Memoirs to John Jay. There has been great improvement in husbandry, exciting jealousy in our mother country. Has been reading with pleasure the life of Franklin, who glosses over the affair of Vergennes' secretary in England. Has always believed there was an under plot in the business, as appears in Jay's Journal read in Congress in 1782 and '83. Voted against the motion of censure brought forward to please the French, and disapproved of Madison's stand at the time. Congress is right in rejecting the claim of Beaumarchais' representatives. He always believed the supplies to be a gift from France which she could not openly avow, and the unaccounted money devoted to secret service and douceurs to French agents. Most of the articles went through his hands in the War Office, and many of them were worthless, valuable only for the metal.
Identifier
columbia.jay.09577