The

Life

of

John Jay

with

selections from his correspondence

and

miscellaneous papers.

by his son,

William Jay,

in two volumes.

New-York:

Printed and published by J. & J. Harper

No. 82 Cliff-Street.

1833.

Preface to the digital edition of The Correspondence and Public Papers of John Jay (four volumes) and The Life and Writings of John Jay (two volumes).

John Jay (1745–1829) of New York was a Founding Father who had a distinguished career of service to his God and his country: He graduated from King’s College (now called Columbia) in New York in 1766 and was admitted to the bar as an attorney the same year. In 1774, he was sent as a delegate by his State to the first Congress of the Thirteen States (the First Provincial Congress) and was returned in four subsequent years (1775–1776, 1778–1779) as a delegate to the Continental Congress. In fact, Jay was selected by the other delegates to serve as President of the Continental Congress (1778–1779).

Jay authored the first manual of military discipline for the Continental Army (1777), and throughout the American Revolution, Jay served both his State and his nation. For example, he helped author the original constitution of New York (1777), served as the Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court (1777–1778), and helped birth and organize the anti-slavery movement in New York. He was also appointed a minister to Spain (1779); signed the final peace treaty with Great Britain (along with John Adams and Benjamin Franklin) to end the American Revolution (1783); was one of the three co-authors (along with James Madison and Alexander Hamilton) of the Federalist Papers that were instrumental in securing the ratification of the U. S. Constitution (1788); was appointed first Chief-Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court by President George Washington (1789–95) and also served as Secretary of State for President Washington until Thomas Jefferson could return home from his diplomatic service in Europe to assume that post; and he negotiated the Jay Treaty (1794)—a second treaty with the British to settle difficulties remaining from the 1783 treaty that ended the American Revolution.

Jay declined a re-appointment as Chief-Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court by President John Adams, and returned to his home State where he served several terms as Governor (1795–1801). He was also active in several Christian societies, including serving as a member of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions and serving as an original officer of the American Bible Society in 1816. In fact, Jay served as a Vice-President of the American Bible Society from 1816–1821 and then became the second President of that Society, leading it from 1821–1827. He died two years after resigning his post as President of the American Bible Society.

Both volumes included in this book were originally published by John Jay’s son, William Jay, in 1833. The page numbers and volume numbers in this format correspond exactly to the page numbers and volume numbers ...