Jay, John, 1745-1829 To the inhabitants of the State of New York
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00006 Author/Creator: Jay, John, 1745-1829 Place Written: Fishkill, New York Type: Autograph manuscript Date: December 23, 1776 Pagination: 23 p. : docket ; 31.1 x 21.5 cm. + 1 engraving ; b&w ; 27 x 19.9 Order a Copy
Delivered at Fishkill, New York, to the state's constitutional convention shortly after the American defeats at Long Island, Manhattan and White Plains, and a few days before Washington surprised the Hessians at Trenton. As such, Jay addressed his fellow Americans disillusioned by British victories and questioning the moral rightness of the American cause. Speech explains why he felt it was necessary to fight against the British in the cause of liberty, even unto death. The unsigned manuscript is written and corrected entirely in Jay's hand. There are many corrections, strike outs as well as notations in the left margin. The draft shows considerable revision from the printed version; many changes are syntactic but some weaken the vilification of Tories, stress unity of Americans, and shift the anti-British attacks from Parliament to George III. Later printed at Fishkill and at Philadelphia by Dunlap. The Continental Congress thought so highly of the address that it recommended that it be given "serious perusal" by all Americans. Bound by a piece of string at the center portion of the top of the document. One full length engraving of John Jay included as collateral.
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