Jay, John

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Jay, John

JAY, JOHN. (1745–1829). Statesman, diplomat. New York. Born New York City on 12 December 1745, Jay graduated from King's College (now Columbia) in 1764, was admitted four years later to the bar, and became a successful New York City lawyer. Marriage in 1774 to Sarah, daughter of William Livingston of New Jersey, further extended his family connections. When the Revolution started he supported the Patriot cause, although with moderation. He became a member of the New York City Committee of Correspondence and served in the first and Second Continental Congresses. Although he was opposed to independence in the beginning, and had returned to office in the state legislation when the Declaration of Independence came up for a vote, he nevertheless became ardent in his dedication to the new United States. He helped to get cannon for General George Washington's army, set up a spy ring, and chaired the committee dedicated to battling Loyalists in New York. He guided the formulation of the 1777 state constitution, and served as Chief Justice of New York from 3 May of that year until 1779. Re-elected to Congress in December 1778, he became president of that body on the 10th and held this post until he was named minister to Spain, on 27 September 1779. Meanwhile, he had been elected colonel of the state militia in 1775, but had no military service in the field.

Spain's attitude toward the American Revolution was such that Jay had no chance of getting that country's recognition of the United States, even though it had declared war on Britain. Arriving at Cadiz with his wife on 22 January 1780 and remaining in the country two years, Jay accomplished little more than raising a small loan and getting the Spanish to keep up their secret assistance in war supplies. On 23 June 1782 Jay reached Paris to take part in the Peace Negotiations. He shared John Adams's suspicion of Charles Gravier, Comte de Vergennes, and helped Adams convince Benjamin Franklin to sign preliminary articles of peace with the British without awaiting French concurrence.

On 24 July 1784 Jay reached New York, having declined the post of minister to London, and found he had been drafted for the post of Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Jay held this post until Thomas Jefferson became the first Secretary of State, on 22 March 1790. His most vexatious problems during this period stemmed from British and Spanish refusal to withdraw their garrisons from territory claimed by the United States. The impotence of the American Confederation weakened Jay's hand, and he became one of the strongest advocates of a strong federal government. He wrote five of the Federalist Papers, blaming ill health for keeping him from contributing more.

Becoming the first Chief Justice of the United States on 4 March 1789 (but serving as ad interim Secretary of State until Jefferson arrived to be sworn in on 22 March 1790), he sat during the first five years during which the Supreme Court's procedures were formed. While Chief Justice he was sent in the summer of 1794 to arrange a peaceful settlement of controversies with Great Britain that threatened war, leading to the politically divisive Jay's Treaty.

Jay had been defeated by George Clinton in 1792 for the governorship of New York, even though Jay got more votes. He returned from England in 1795 to find himself elected, and he served six years (two terms). His administration was conservative and upright, but no great issues arose to challenge it.

Republican strength assured Jay's defeat for governor in 1800, and he declined to run for re-election. His mind set on retirement, he also refused Adams's offer of reappointment as Chief Justice. Jay spent his last twenty-eight years in complete retirement on his 800-acre property at Bedford, Westchester County, New York, where he died on 17 May 1829.

SEE ALSO Jay's Treaty; Peace Negotiations.