Jay, John, 1745-1829 to Richard Price
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00013 Author/Creator: Jay, John, 1745-1829 Place Written: New York, New York Type: Autograph letter signed Date: August 24, 1785 Pagination: 1 p. : docket Height: 22.7 cm, Width: 18.3 cm Order a Copy
Written by Jay as Secretary of Foreign Affairs under the Confederation government to Price, a dissenting minister and moralistic pamphleteer in Britain who supported American independence. Apologizes to Price for being tardy in responding and thanks him for sending pamphlets (Price wrote several pro-American pamphlets in Britain, the most famous of which was "Observations on Civil Liberty and the Justice and Policy of the War with America," which was published in 1776). Echoing the weaknesses of the Confederation and foreshadowing the creation of the Constitution in 1787, Jay says "I am not without Hopes that Time and Experience will yet bring our political system to that Degree of Perfection, which may reasonably be expected in human Institutions." Says his character, integrity, and abilities are well respected in America.
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