Report on a Demand for Evacuation of the Frontier Posts, 30 March 1786

Report on a Demand for Evacuation of the Frontier Posts

Office for foreign Affairs 30th. March 1786

The Secretary of the United States for the Department of foreign Affairs to whom was referred Mr. Adams Letters of the 2d. 6th. 9th. 12th. & 15th. December 1785 and 4th. January 1786 with the Papers enclosed with them,1 and also a Motion2 founded on Mr. Adams Memorial demanding the Evacuation of the frontier Posts &ca:—

Reports

That in his Opinion the Instructions proposed by the Motion in Question would be proper & expedient—Because

1. A categorical Answer in the Negative would involve the United States either in War or in Disgrace—They are not prepared for the former, and should if possible avoid the latter—
2. It would not be expedient to press that Answer while the Intentions of the Court of France on the Subject remain doubtful—

Your Secretary therefore thinks that Mr. Adams should be immediately instructed in the Words of the said Motion Vizt. “to protract his Negociations with the Court of Great Britain respecting the Posts which should have been before this surrendered to the United States and other Infractions of the said Treaty by that Power, so as to avoid demanding a categorical Answer respecting the same until the furtĥer^ Orders of Congress.[”] All which is submitted to the Wisdom of Congress.

John Jay

LS, DNA: PCC, item 81, 2: 79–81 (EJ: 3893). Endorsed: “Report of Secy. for foreign / Affairs on Mr Adams / letters Entd. read 31 March 1786 / April 17, 1786. / Referred to the Secy. / for foreign Affairs to / take Order.—/ Chas. Thomson, Secy. / [in a different hand] Order taken—”. LbkCs, DNA: PCC, item 124, 1: 296–97 (EJ: 4563); NNC: JJ Lbk. 3; JCC, description begins Worthington C. Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1904–37) description ends 30: 147–48; DC, description begins William A. Weaver, ed., Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States of America, from the Signing of the Definitive Treaty of Peace, 10th September, 1783, to the Adoption of the Constitution, March 4, 1789 (7 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1833–34) description ends 4: 478. For the referral back to JJ on 17 Apr. 1786 to take order, see JCC, description begins Worthington C. Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1904–37) description ends 30: 197n3.

1. JA to JJ, 2, 9, 12, 15 Dec. 1785, 4 Jan. 1786, ALS of all in PCC, item 84, 6: 1–73, first three with enclosures; all in DC, description begins William A. Weaver, ed., Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States of America, from the Signing of the Definitive Treaty of Peace, 10th September, 1783, to the Adoption of the Constitution, March 4, 1789 (7 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1833–34) description ends 4: 448–77; 9 Dec., 4 Jan. in JAW, description begins Charles Francis Adams, ed., The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States, with a Life of the Author (10 vols.; Boston, 1850–56) description ends 8: 358–61; see above for 6 and 15 Dec. 1785.

2. The motion in the hand of James Monroe of 29 Mar. 1786 that was referred to JJ stated: “Ordered, that the late dispatches from the Hnble. Mr. Adams be referred to the Secretary of foreign affairs to report—and that he be instructed to report particularly upon the propriety of instructions to the sd. minister, to protract his negotiations with the court of G. Britain respecting the posts which shod. have been before this surrendered to the US. by the late treaty, and other infractions of the sd. treaty by that power, so as to avoid demanding a categorical answer respecting the same untill the further orders of Congress.” JCC, description begins Worthington C. Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1904–37) description ends 30: 141. JA’s memorial to Carmarthen was enclosed in JA to JJ, 6 Dec. 1785, above.

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Source Project: Jay Papers
Title: Report on a Demand for Evacuation of the Frontier Posts, 30 March 1786
Author: Jay, John
Date: 30 March 1786

Reference

Cite as: “Report on a Demand for Evacuation of the Frontier Posts, 30 March 1786,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jay/01-04-02-0149. [Original source: The Selected Papers of John Jay, vol. 4, 1785–1788, ed. Elizabeth M. Nuxoll. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2015, pp. 321–322.]