Adams Papers Digital Edition

Papers of John Adams, volume 19

From Thomas Jefferson

To John Jay
To John Adams from Henry Remsen Jr., 14 December 1787 Remsen, Henry Jr. Adams, John
From Henry Remsen Jr.
Sir New York 14th. Decemr. 1787 1

Mr. Jay having been, and still continuing too much indisposed to attend to Business, has directed me to acknowledge the Receipt of your Letters of 10th. 22d. & 23d. September last, together with the Papers mentioned in them; which I have now the Honor of doing; and of transmitting to you herewith enclosed, the printed Journals of 234 Congress from 26th. September to 30th. Octr. 1787, and a Packet of the latest Newspapers.—2

I have the Honor to be with great Respect / Sir / Your most obt. and hblẽ. Servt.

Henry Remsen Junr.

RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “The Honorable— / John Adams Esqr. / &c.— &c.—”

 1.

Henry Remsen Jr. (1762–1843), of New York City, had acted as the undersecretary for foreign affairs since 1784 and became chief clerk of the State Department five years later. In 1792 he joined the New York branch of the Bank of the United States as a teller, eventually rising to serve as president from 1808 to 1826 (Walter Barrett, The Old Merchants of New York City, 5 vols., N.Y., 1885, 5:69–70, 75; Jay, Selected Papers , 3:619; Jefferson, Papers , 17:358; Millard F. Roberts, A Narrative History of Remsen, New York, Syracuse, N.Y., 1914, p. 235).

 2.

Congress last met on 27 Oct. 1787 but accomplished little as the states began to debate ratification of the U.S. Constitution, and it did not reconvene until 21 Jan. 1788. A copy of Congress’ Journals for the period from 6 Nov. 1786 to 30 Oct. 1787 are in JA’s library at MB ( JCC , 32:vii, 34:v; Catalogue of JA’s Library ).