with France, and in such a manner as that she may have no just cause to be dissatisfied, or to say that, as we acted without her concurrence, we alone are to be responsible for the consequences. All which is submitted to the wisdom of Congress. JOHN JAY. Official Papers on which the preceding Report was founded. JAMES AVERY, TO THE GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS. Sir, Passamaquoddy, August 23, 1785. Being at this place on some private business of my own, I was informed that the Government of New Brunswick had asserted their claims to Moose Island, Dudley, and Fred Isle, all lying to the westward of Schoodic river. These islands were surveyed last season by General Putnam, by order of the committee on eastern lands, and the two last mentioned sold by them to Colonel Allen, who has, with M. de la Derniers, settled thereon, built houses and stores, and cleared up the lands at great expense. Moose Island is large, and well situated for trade, and has a number of worthy inhabitants settled on it. A few days ago Mr. Wyer, high sheriff for Charlotte county, posted up an advertisement on Moose Island, directing the inhabitants to attend the courts at St. Andrews as jurymen. This alarmed the inhabitants, as they were threatened, in case of refusal, to be deprived of their estates. Some weak and designing minds were for complying, others determined not, at all events. Application was made to me by Colonel Allen, the naval officer, Colonel Crane, Major Trescott, with a number of other principal gentlemen, to do something to counteract the proceedings of Mr. Wyer, as it would be very detrimental to the claims of our Government, in settling the boundary in regard to the islands, for the inhabitants to obey and acknowledge the jurisdiction of Great Britain—therefore, I went on to the island, and warned them, (as a justice of the peace,) that as they were subjects of this Commonwealth, not to obey the orders of any other power whatever. This I conceived it to be my duty to do, more particularly as it is part of my district as collector of excise, and I have a deputy on the same island. This matter is of the utmost consequence to our Government; for should the British take in these islands, we should be entirely cut off from going up the river Schoodic, and likewise these islands having been surveyed by order of the Commonwealth, and two of them sold to gentlemen who had laid out as much as £500 or £600 in buildings and improvements, our Government must, in honor, protect them, or repay what damages they may suffer. Since this matter has taken place, I was up to St. Andrews on some business of my own, and had a long conversation with Mr. Wyer, the high sheriff, Mr. Pagan, and other principal persons. They say they acted by advice and directions of Judge Ludlow, who is of opinion that all the islands in the bay of Passamaquoddy belong to New Brunswick, and are determined to support their claim, and should the inhabitants refuse to obey the summons, they may depend on being punished. They also let me see a long letter from Lord Sidney, wherein he informs that notwithstanding the opinion of the Massachusetts, and the report of Generals Knox and Lincoln, (which was then before him,) his Majesty's servants were fully clear that Schoodic was the boundary, and his Majesty's subjects settled between that and the Maggacadava (or what we call St. Croix) might fully rely on their protection. Mr. Wyer made use of many arguments to show the propriety of their claims to all the islands; among others, he said, before the war the inhabitants on all of them, in any of their disputes, applied to magistrates belonging to Nova Scotia for redress, and acknowledged themselves subjects of that province, and the Massachusetts not asserting any right over them, was tacitly acknowledging it to be so. I hope your Excellency will not think I have been too forward. I acted from a principle of public good. Agreeably to the principles they advance, (as well as Lord Sheffield's ideas in his publications,) if the inhabitants should acknowledge the jurisdiction of that Government, it would more fully support their claims, which I hope will now not be the case. The time was so short, it would not admit of the inhabitants receiving any orders from your Excellency on the subject, before the time they were directed to attend. I shall continue to keep a deputy collector of excise on Moose Island, to regulate that business, until I receive orders from your Excellency to the contrary. I have the honor to be, &c., True copy of the original letter. Attest: JAMES AVERY. W. HARRIS, Dy. Secretary. Commonwealth of Massachusetts, His Excellency the Governor laid before the Council a letter from James Avery, Esquire, relative to the Government of New Brunswick asserting their claims to Moose Island, Dudley, and Fred Island, all lying to the westward of Schoodic river, and requested their advice upon the subject. Thereupon, advised that his Excellency the Governor acquaint James Avery, Esquire, that the Governor and Council highly approve of his vigilant attention to the important interests of the Commonwealth; and that the said James Avery be directed to inform the inhabitants of the said islands that the said islands are within the jurisdiction of this Commonwealth; and that the Government, confiding in their fidelity, expects and requires the inhabitants of the same to conduct themselves in every respect as becomes true and faithful subjects of this Commonwealth. That a letter be written by his Excellency the Governor to the Governor of New Brunswick upon the subject of these encroachments, and that a copy of the letter from James Avery be sent to our Delegates at Congress, with the proceedings of the Governor and Council upon this business, to be laid before Congress. True copy. W. HARRIS, Dy. Secretary. Attest: FROM THE GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS TO THE GOVERNOR OF NEW BRUNSWICK. Sir, Commonwealth of Massachusetts,} Boston, September 9, 1785. I am informed by a gentleman who is an inhabitant in the eastern part of this Commonwealth that the Government of New Brunswick hath asserted a claim to Moose, Dudley, and Fred Islands; but I flatter myself he has extended his ideas beyond the real fact, for he mentions only the conduct of the sheriff of your county of Charlotte, (Mr. Wyer,) grounded on the advice and direction of Judge Ludlow, in advertising and directing the inhabitants of Moose Island to attend the courts at St. Andrews as jurymen, upon pain, in case of refusal, of forfeiting their estates. As I am not informed that your Excellency has interposed your authority, I am inclined to believe that my informant had been premature in forming an opinion, that the Government of New Brunswick had given its sanction to a measure altogether unexpected and insupportable. I have, however, given your Excellency this information, assuring myself that your Excellency will take order effectually to prevent the abovementioned, and every other encroachment, on the territorial rights and sovereignty of this Commonwealth and of the United States. With regard to the lands lying to the east of the river Schoodic and between that and the river St. Croix, or, as the Indians call it, Maggacadava, relative to which some of the subjects of Great Britain, under your immediate government, appear to have adopted an improper opinion, it is a matter before Congress, who, I am assured, will give instructions to their Minister at the Court of London to assert and maintain their just claims, as set forth in the treaty agreed to between the two nations. I have the honor to be, &c., His Excellency Thomas Carleton, Esquire. JAMES BOWDOIN. FROM JOHN JAY TO JOHN ADAMS. New York, November 1, 1785. Dear Sir, It will, I am persuaded, give you pleasure to receive the enclosed act of Congress, of 14th ult., for compensating the services of our friend Dumas, and alleviating the uneasiness and anxiety which seems for some years past to have oppressed him on that account. I have already sent him a copy of it; but lest that may miscarry, and that you also may be informed of it, I enclose a duplicate copy. I have the honor to be, &c., JOHN JAY. Dear Sir, FROM JOHN JAY TO JOHN ADAMS. New York, November 2, 1785. Mr. Houdon, the celebrated statuary of Paris, who has taken a bust of General Washington, and is to make his statue for Virginia, and perhaps another for the United States, is the bearer of this. His character as an artist being high, and in other respects, as far as I can learn, unexceptionable, I take the liberty of introducing him to you. Not understanding English, he will be much a stranger in London, and your friendly offices of course will be the more acceptable and grateful to him. I am, dear sir, &c., JOHN JAY. Dear Sir, FROM JOHN ADAMS TO JOHN JAY. Grosvenor Square, Westminster, August 25, 1785. Yesterday I had a long conference with Mr. Pitt for the first time. He never had proposed any interview with me, and I had delayed to request him to appoint any time, after the first ceremonial visit, for two reasons: because that, while Parliament was sitting, his time and mind were so engaged, that it was impossible he should attend in earnest to the affairs of the United States; and because I expected that a little time would bring, both from America and Ireland, intelligence which would somewhat lessen that confidence, with which the Ministry and the nation were elated. Such intelligence has now arrived. The twenty resolutions have been, in effect, given up, that they might not be rejected by the Irish Parliament; and the Massachusetts act of navigation has appeared, together with advices from Virginia, Philadelphia, New York, and various other parts of the United States, which have excited a serious apprehension that all have the same principles and views. I shall not attempt to give you the conversation in detail; yet it is necessary to give some particulars, from which you may judge how much or how little may result from the whole. He asked me what were the principal points to be discussed between us? I answered, that I presumed the Marquis of Caermarthen had laid. before the King's servant some papers, which I had done myself the honor to write to him. He said he had. I replied, that those letters related to the evacuation of the posts upon the frontier; to the construction of the armistice; and to a treaty of commerce; and that, besides these, there were the negroes carried off contrary to the treaty, and some other points, which I had particularly explained to Lord Caermarthen. He said that the carrying off the negroes was |