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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Circular letter from John Jay to the state governors
Jay, John, 1745-1829
August 28, 1786
Volume 18, Page 722

JOHN JAY, ESQ., SECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, TO
GOV. CASWELL.
[From Executive Letter Book.]


Office for Foreign Affairs, August 28th, 1786.

(Circular)

Sir:

I have the Honor of transmitting to you herewith enclosed an extract of a Letter dated the 27th May last, which I have received from the Honorable Mr. Jefferson; and also Copies of two other papers which accompanied it, viz: Of the Contract between the Farmers General and Mr. R. Morris, and of a Letter from Count de Vergennes to Mr. Jefferson.

These papers contain some matters of Information which should be known; but it appears to me that this had better be done without the intervention of the Press, for if our Ministers should find that their letters and communications are sometimes published in newspapers when they do not expect it they would naturally observe afterwards, a degree of reserve and Caution, which would render their Correspondence much less useful, than while unconstrained by such apprehensions.

I have the Honor to be, Sir,
Your Excellency's Most Obedient
And Humble Servant,
JOHN JAY.