John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 1 July 1776

[New York] Monday, 1 July 1776

D r Rob t .

I returned to this City about Noon this Day from Eliz h .Town, & to my great mortification am informed that our Convention influenced by one of G. Morris vagrant Plans have adjourned to the White Plains to meet there Tomorrow. 1 This precipitate ill advised Retreat I fear will be not a little injurious to the publick–€”The Prosecution of the Late Discoveries of Gov r . Tryons Plot will be delayed, & may it not by our Enemies be imputed to a Design of keeping the Necks of some of our Citizens out of the Halter? The Business of some other Com[mittee] s . of Importance is at a Stand–€”I begin to loose Patience–€”This Stroke of Morrisania Politics quite confounds me–€”They tell me too that a Resolve has passed granting certain Powers to the Gen. 2 God knows what they are. I think of it with Fear & Trembling–€”I wish M r Ph. Livingston could have been prevailed upon to stay here a little longer–€” 3 I exhausted all my Rhetorick on this occasion but in vain–€”Nor Did he assign a better Reason for leaving the Province, than that he would go to Philadelphia–€”The ways of some Men like Solomons Serpent on a Rock, are past finding out. I am too much out of Humour to add any Thing except that I a[m you]r Friend

John Jay