John Jay to Benjamin Franklin, 17 July 1780

Madrid 17 July 1780

D r . Sir

I have been honored with ^ had the Pleasure of rec g ^ your s Favors of the 13 th & 25 th : June last 1 and am greatly obliged by the Communications they make. I refer ^ after having rec d part of the sum ^

after having rec d part of the Money lodged with Marquis DYranda I sent to same him a second Time for another part not thinking it necessary ^ chusing ^ to recieve the whole at once & intending to leave in his Hand the Ballance due to you–€” I rec d for answer that I might recieve the whole but not a Part–€”there was no Choice and I rec d . it accordingly–€” The Remittances I expected from Congress not arriving ^ have not arrived ^ , ^ have ^ written to them on the Subject, 2 and in the mean Time ^ am now ^ feed[in] g on your Ballance choosing rather to do this than humiliate my Constituents by running them in Debt for my Bread here–€”

The Papers enclosed with this will make known to you the exact State of our Affairs here ^ at this Court ^ –€” I have been permitted to ^ already to ^ ^ to ^ accept of the ^ at dif ^ Bills drawn to the am t . of ^ between ^ ten & twelve Thousand Dollars and as ^ as the Court & particularly the ^ Count DFlorida Blanca seems well disposed towards ^ us ^ I hope this disagreable ^ unpleasant ^ Measure will terminate well–€” These Papers sh d have been sent you before but I have been long waiting for Count Montmorins Courier to ^ by ^ whom I w d . rather transmit them than the by the Post for Reasons w h . you will be at no Loss to conjecture–€” 3

From these Papers you will also ^ naturally ^ conclude that it is very far from being in my Power to afford M r . Ross the Aid you mentioned in your Letter–€” On the Contrary I find myself constrained to request the Favor of you to lodge ^ here ^ for M r Carmichael & myself a further Credit to enable us to receive that Resid what may be due to me on Acc t of our Salaries. ^ We shall otherwise be very soon in a very disagreable Situation ^ I cannot think of endeavoring to take up Money from Individuals ^ w d . not be eligible or reputable ^ for many Reasons And it w d . not be prudent to trouble Gov t . already ^ a little ^ sore ab t the Bills with further Requisitions at present.

To you therefore I must recur, and that ^ I am also obliged to make this Request ^ without being able to give you other assurances of ^ respecting the Time of ^ Repaym t . than that the proceeds of the first Remitt[an] ce . I may recieve shall be applied to that in Preference to every other Purpose. I am I cannot say whether any will be ^ I am have rec d no Information on this Subject since I left America ^ and my principal Reason ^ for expect g Rem them Remittances ^ (next to the Faith of Congress) arises from the Facility with which they ^ I cannot however think the Time will be very distant as Remittances ^ may now make them in Bills ^ be made in ^ Bills of Exchange–€” But sh d ^ if ^ these Expectations fail it would in my opinion be more decent for ^ I sh d . be decieved ^ ^ & if the servants of ^ Congress to ^ here ^ must live a while on the Credit they may ^ seek & ^ find with others, I think it w d . be more decent to recur to their Ally than to others . France I know has ^ already ^ done great things for ^ us ^ and made glori ^ is still making ^ glorious Exertions. I shall love the Nation as long as I live, & shall I am also sensible of your Difficulties ^ & regret them ^ & am ^ tho I am ^ happy in reflecting that they since they must exist, they have fallen into the Hands of one whose abilities & Influence enable him to sustain and surmount them–€” ^ & at ^ a Court wh[ich] does ^ not ^ appear inclined to do things by Halves.

I sh d . be much surprized at the Treatment the your Letters I sent to Nantz have met with, had ^ I ^ not experienced too many strange things to be much surprized at any–€” It gives me pain to infer from y r Letter A certain Gentlemans Reserve with Respect to you, that perfect & Cordial Confidence does not exist between you–€” The Papers I have [ illegible ] 4

It is necessary I should ^ you sh d . be ^ inform ^ d ^ you that the Papers enclosed with this are probably known ^ known to Count Montmorin & therefore are probably no Secrets ^ to the french ^ his ^ Court. I am on confid ^ exceedingly ^ good Terms with ^ the ^ Count Montmorin whom I esteem as a Man of abilities and am pleased with as a Gentleman a Friend to our Country–€” As France had taken interested herself so deeply in our Country & had the ^ our ^ Cause ^ had ^ done us such essential Benefits ^ & had been requested to interpose her friendly offices for us here ^ I could ^ not ^ think of withholding from him [ illegible ] full ^ him all the ^ Confidence ^ which these considerations dictate ^ especially as the Resolutions of Congress ^ respecting their Legation here ^ breathed that Spirit, and as no personal objections forbid it. To carry on ^ have conducted ^ the negociation with slyness & Finesse & ^ unnecessary secrecy, & equivocating ^ cunning was irreconciable with my Principles of Action & with every Idea I have of wisdom & Policy–€” as ^ in a word ^ France and America were ^ are & I hope will always be ^ Allies & It is the Duty of each Party to cultivate mutual Confidence & Cordiality–€” For my own Part while their Conduct continues as it fair ^ firm ^ and friendly, I shall not only remain ^ strongly ^ attached to their Interest & grateful for their Benefit. 5 but [ illegible ]

M rs . Jay is much pleased with ^ & thanks you for ^ the print you ^ was so kind as to ^ send her–€”it is a striking Likeness–€” the I find that in France great Men have like their Predecessors of old have their Bards [ illegible ]–€” 6 Your Strictures are very Just ice but ^ tho a little Severe ^ while there are ^ young ^ Telemachus–€™s & ^ handsome ^ ^ fascinating ^ Calypsos in the World ^ there will be ^ Fancies & pens & Hearts will ^ sometimes ^ run riot, in spite of the few Mentors now & then to be met with on it–€” [ illegible ]

Your Danish Correspondent was very civil an as well as very much embarrassed–€” I am pleased with both Circumstances–€”they indicate more Caution in future–€”but I fear the present case will continue without Remedy–€” I recieve no Letters but what have passed thro the Fire once and often twice–€”and that is not the Worst of it, for I am sure that some have been suppressed–€” I wish therefore that such as you may favor me be with, be sent either by the Courier or under Cover to some Person here some the House of Druillet Cabarrus or ^ in ^ some other ^ way ^ that you may have Reason to confide in–€”

I am Dear Sir with very sincere Regard your Friend & ^ most ob t ^ Serv t

P.S. I had almost forgotten to tell you that M rs . Jay had a Daughter born the ninth Ins t and that They are both well–€”benevolent Minds enjoy the Events grateful ^ to ^ others & therefore I give you this ^ I can not therefore forbear telling you this ^ little piece of news–€”