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John Jay

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Third President of the Continental Congress
of the United States of America
December 10, 1778 to September 28, 1779
http://www.johnjay.net/
 

Stanley L. Klos Collection CF-026

Henry Laurens Resigns and John Jay elected President of the Continental Congress

[Jay, John and Laurens, Henry] -  Journals Of Congress, containing the Proceedings of the Continental Congress from January 1, 1778 to January 1, 1779, Philadelphia: Printed by David C. Claypoole, Printer to the Congress of the United States of America, Volume IV, 748 pages plus index, 1779.

Wednesday, December 9, 1778 - Congress being met, the President took the chair, but before any business was entered on he arose, and having assigned sundry reasons why he could not continue longer to execute the office of President, he resigned, and immediately quitted the chair: Whereupon, Ordered, That to morrow be assigned for the election of a President.  Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.

Thursday, December 10, 1778 -- According to order, the house proceeded to the election of a President, and the ballots being taken, the Hon. John Jay, Esq. was elected.[i]

John Jay arrived in Congress on December 5th, 1778 the same day Silas Deane published an appeal "to Free and Virtuous Citizens of America".  Deane had been recalled from France for alleged corrupt dealings by Arthur Lee. In the summer of 1778 Deane attempted to clear himself but Congress sought to resolve the impasse by tabling the matter and not by calling back Arthur Lee to substantiate Deane’s claim.  In his address (see the previous chapter for a full account of this affair), Deane indicted the conduct of his fellow commissioner Arthur Lee and obliquely challenged the authority of Congress. Samuel Adams, who had led the anti-French faction, with the help of President Henry Laurens, opposed Deane. Supporters of Benjamin Franklin, one of Deane's fel­low foreign commissioners, came to his defense.

Jay stepped right in the middle of the controversy. The NY Delegate had been briefed by Gouverneur and Robert Morris that Deane, despite his exceptional contributions as a commis­sioner in France, was ill-treated by Congress. John Jay who was part of the conservatives or “constructive party”, in fact, helped secure Deane's appointment. Delegate Jay regarded Deane as honest and patriotic.  He had little regard for the Lees due to a bitter dispute with Richard Henry Lee in the First Continental Congress. Jay also knew that the Lees-Adam Faction was responsible for General Schuyler's and Arthur St. Clair's loss of favor during Burgoyne's Campaign against Fort Ticonderoga and Saratoga.  John Jay ardently supported Deane and therefore became a political opponent of then sitting President Henry Laurens.

President Henry Laurens was livid over Deane's public outcry and the President unsuccessfully attempted to have Congress censure Deane's publication. Laurens, for the third time, quit his office expecting Congress to reject his resignation. To Laurens surprise he was not asked to stay on as President by a majority vote of the delegates. Instead Congress called for a recess until the following day to vote for a new President.

The Continental Congress turned to Laurens adversary, John Jay only three days after taking his Delegate seat and elected him President of the Continental Congress on December 10, 1778.  Eight states voting for Jay and four for Laurens.

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Day of Fasting, Thanksgiving Humiliation and Prayer to Almighty God

Broadside  Image Courtesy of the Library of Congress Collection CF-027

© Stanley L. Klos has a worldwide copyright on the artwork in these coins.

[John Jay Proclamation – Fasting, Thanksgiving humiliation and prayer] – Broadside extracted from the Journals of The Continental Congress. This is a facsimile, 8” x 10”, of a Broadside from the Collection at the Library of Congress which is a reprint of the March 20, 1779 order of the Continental Congress for a Day of Fasting: 

Whereas, in just punishment of our manifold transgressions, it hath pleased the Supreme Disposer of all events to visit these United States with a destructive calamitous war, through which His divine Providence hath, hitherto, in a wonderful manner, conducted us, so that we might acknowledge that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong: and whereas, there is but too much Reason to fear that notwithstanding the chastisements received and benefits bestowed, too few have been sufficiently awakened to a sense of their guilt, or warmed our Bosoms with gratitude, or taught to amend their lives and turn from their sins, that so He might turn from His wrath. And whereas, from a consciousness of what we have merited at His hands, and an apprehension that the malevolence of our disappointed enemies, like the incredulity of Pharaoh, may be used as the scourge of Omnipotence to vindicate his slighted Majesty, there is reason to fear that he may permit much of our land to become the prey of the spoiler, and the Blood of the innocent be poured out that our borders to be ravaged, and our habitations destroyed:

Resolved, That it be recommended to the several states to appoint the first Thursday in May next, to be a day of fasting, Thanksgiving humiliation and prayer to Almighty God, that he will be pleased to avert those impending calamities which we have but too well deserved: that he will grant us his grace to repent of our sins, and amend our lives, according to his holy word: that he will continue that wonderful protection which hath led us through the paths of danger and distress: that he will be a husband to the widow and a father to the fatherless children, who weep over the barbarities of a savage enemy: that he will grant us patience in suffering, and fortitude in adversity: that he will inspire us with humility and moderation, and gratitude in prosperous circumstances: that he will give wisdom to our councils, firmness to our resolutions, and victory to our arms That he will have Mercy on our Foes, and graciously forgive them, and turn their Hearts from Enmity to Love.

That he will bless the labours of the husbandman, and pour forth abundance, so that we may enjoy the fruits of the earth in due season. That he will cause union, harmony, and mutual confidence to prevail throughout these states: that he will bestow on our great ally all those blessings which may enable him to be gloriously instrumental in protecting the rights of mankind, and promoting the happiness of his subjects and advancing the Peace and Liberty of Nations. That he will give to both Parties to this Alliance, Grace to perform with Honor and Fidelity their National Engagements.

That he will bountifully continue his paternal care to the commander in chief, and the officers and soldiers of the United States: that he will grant the blessings of peace to all contending nations, freedom to those who are in bondage, and comfort to the afflicted: that he will diffuse useful knowledge, extend the influence of true religion, and give us that peace of mind, which the world cannot give: that he will be our shield in the day of battle, our comforter in the hour of death, and our kind parent and merciful judge through time and through eternity.

Done in Congress, this Twentieth Day of March, in the Year of Our Lord Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-Nine, and in the Third Year of our Independence.  John Jay, President    Atts: Charles Thomson, Secretary

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© Stanley L. Klos has a worldwide copyright on the artwork in these coins.

Stanley L. Klos Collection - CF-028

[Jay, John] - Independent Gazetteer, Philadelphia, June 5, 1788 published, as ordered by the United States in Congress Assembled the Extract from the records of the Council of State dated December 29, 1787 a trade agreement signed by Le Ct. De La Luverne of France and John Jay as Foreign Secretary for the United States.   This being a complete 1788 printing in both French and English of   “An Act of the King's Council, for the encouragement of commerce of France with the United States of America.” After negotiating the Treaty of Paris Jay returned to Congress and worked hard as a Delegate and was lobbied strongly to accept the position of Secretary of Foreign Affairs.  

“He was unwilling, for reasons of private business, to be detained at Trenton, where Congress had been in session and was to reassemble in September, and also because he was reluctant to assume such responsibility without the privilege of selecting his own clerks, a power which Congress had heretofore reserved to itself.  Meantime he was elected a delegate to Congress by the state legislature ; but on December 21st, Congress having decided to adjourn to New York, and yielding in the matter of the appointments of his subordinates, Jay accepted the secretaryship, and resigned his seat on the floor. [ii]

Under Jay the Secretary for Foreign Affairs became the most important and powerful appointment under the Articles of Confederation and Jay held the post until the establishment of the 2nd Constitutional government in 1789.   Although not a member of Congress he was given the privilege to appear before that body and state his views.  All foreign correspondence that had gone directly to the President of the United States, even when Robert Livingston held the post, no went directly to Jay so the chair was effectively removed from a position of power in the matter of foreign relations.

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King George III                    Charles Thomson

Presidents of the Continental Congress

Declaration of Independence                  Continental Congress

Presidents of the United States in Congress Assembled

United States in Congress Assembled

*Huntington was elected as President of the Continental Congress but
ascended to the United States Presidency on March 2, 1781
under the Constitution of 1777 -- The Articles of Confederation

Eight Capitol Medallions of the United Colonies/States of America
1774 – 1789

Philadelphia	September 5, 1774 to October 24, 1774	City Tavern on September 4th and then Carpenters Hall
Philadelphia	May 10, 1775 to December 12, 1776	Pennsylvania State House
Baltimore	December 20, 1776 to February 27, 1777	Henry Fite House, Maryland
Philadelphia	March 12, 1777 to September 18, 1777	Pennsylvania State House
Lancaster	September 27, 1777	Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Court House
York	September 30, 1777 to June 27, 1778:	York, Pennsylvania, Court House
Philadelphia	July 2, 1778 to June 21, 1783	College Hall  then Pennsylvania State House
Princeton,	June 30, 1783 to November 4, 1783	Prospect House then Nassau Hall, New Jersey
Annapolis	November 26, 1783 to August 19, 1784	Maryland State House
Trenton	November 1, 1784 to December 24, 1784	French Arms Tavern, New Jersey
New York City	January 11, 1785 to November 13, 1788	New York City Hall
New York City	November 1788 - March 1789	Fraunces Tavern

 

© Stanley L. Klos has a worldwide copyright on the design, artwork and text
The work is not to be copied by anyone by any means
without first receiving permission from Stanley L. Klos.

 

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