On the 23d instant I waited upon his Excellency, the Count de Florida Blanca, and informed him of the facts stated in the above memorial. He said, he had not as yet heard anything upon the subject; that there was such an ordinance, and that prudence demanded that the admission of letters from abroad, especially in time of war, should be under the direction of government. That the situation of North America rendered new regulations necessary, that he would turn his thoughts to it, and do what should appear equitable. The next day I sent him Mr Harrison's memorial in a letter on the subject of it.
As this letter will go by the post, I must omit being minute about many matters, which I wish to communicate to Congress. Cyphers would probably impede the progress of this letter, if not stop it.
The captors of the Dover cutter still remain unsatisfied. My first memorial on that subject was dated and presented the 22d of June last. In the winter I was promised, that the prize should be appraised, and the value paid. At present I am assured that informations about it are taking.
M. Gardoqui, it is said, will set out in June. If a safe conveyance, which I am encouraged to expect in about a fortnight's time, should offer, I shall write your Excellency a long letter, and mention the dates of my former ones. If not, I shall take another method, not proper to explain in this letter, which, notwithstanding its different covers, will, I doubt not, be inspected before it reaches Cadiz.
I have the honor to be, &c.
JOHN JAY.
TO JOHN JAY.
Philadelphia, June 4th, 1781.
Sir,
I enclose a resolve of Congress, of May 24th, respecting an interest of Messrs Dumain and Lyon, with their petition annexed. I also add the copy of a resolve of September the 27th, 1780, and of a short letter of mine to a gentleman in Teneriffe, to serve as a memorandum in case you have not already procured justice for Mr Magnall and his associates, who took the Dover cutter. Mr McCarrick of Santa Cruz is knowing to all the circumstances of that affair. Magnall has been unfortunate from the time he left this place last October; he is now here. I do not know whether this is the matter referred to in the letter of Mr Carmichael of December 24th, where he says, "The Minister also engaged to do justice to certain Americans, who carried a British privateer to the Canaries." I send you an extract from instructions given to Dr Franklin concerning M. d'Audibert Caille, which may serve to govern your conduct towards that gentleman.