Trenton 25th Decr 1784
My dear sir,
I arrived here the 6th & soon after recd your agreable Favour of Novr 15th - by the Appearance of the Cover, it had been opened, but if We have any political Secrets, they were not committed to this Letter. I am much obliged to You for your Communications respecting Indian Affairs; shall I be indulged in enquiring when your Negotiations will be finished, & how soon after may We expect the pleasure of seeing You at N York?
1 This is the place on which Congress have fixed for their temporary Residence, untill their federal Town shall be ready to receive them. It is ordained by Congress that three Commissioners shall be appointed to lay out a District in the Neighbourhood of this place, erect all the Build[in]gs, for the Use of Congress, except Houses for the respective Delegates, draw on the Treasury for a Sum not exceedg 100,000 Dollars &c &c &c. Mr. Jay accepts his Appointment & has taken the oath of Office. The Commrs of the Treasury first appointed have all declined, & You are in Nomination for the Office. Mr Russel of Boston desired me to inform You, that he should with great pleasure have attended to your landed Concerns in the province of Main,2 but the Business is such as he is entirely unacquainted with, & he therefore wishes You would commit it to some of your Friends who are better able to promote your Interest. Will You be so kind as to inform Mr Wythe, who is appointed one of the Judges in the New York & Massachusetts Dispute respectg Territory, that it will be a great Disapointment to the parties, if he or the other Gentlemen, in whom the Agents of both States have united should refuse to accept, as the Matter is important in its Nature, & requires Adepts in the Law to determine it. You know that in behalf of Massachusetts We desire nothing but [a] candid hearing & Decision, & I wish You would use your Influence to obtain Mr Wythe's answer in the affirmative - the Members are Mr Smith & Mr Patterson of this State, Mr Reed of Delaware, Governor Johnson & Judge Harrison of Maryland, Messrs Wythe, Grason & Monroe of Virginia & Governor Rutledge of So Carolina.3 You know my Wishes that You might be one of this Court, but in Matters of this Kind We are often disapointed in our preferences. Adieu my dear sir & be assured I am yours sincerely,
E Gerry
P.S. I wrote You from Boston, did You receive the Letter? Nothing done yet respectg Your Salary. NOTES:
Receiver's copy, Signers of the Declaration Collection, Lilly Library, Indiana University.
1 For the recent negotiation of the treaty with the Indians at Fort Stanwix by commissioners Richard Butler, Oliver Wolcott, and Lee, see Richard Henry Lee to James Madison, November 20, note 1.
2 For Lee's land interests in Massachusetts, see these Letters, 18:442n.2.
3 For the selection of judges to hear the claim of Massachusetts to lands in New York - Isaac Smith and William Paterson of New Jersey, George Read, Thomas Johnson, Robert Hanson Harrison, George Wythe, William Grayson, James Monroe, and John Rutledge, see JCC, 27:709 - 10.