LETTER IV.--TO JOHN JAY, April 23, 1786


TO JOHN JAY.

London, April 23, 1786.

Sir,

In another letter of this day, I stated to you what had passed with
public characters since my arrival here. Conversations with private
individuals, I thought it best not to mingle with the contents of that
letter. Yet, as some have taken place, which relate to matters within
our instructions, and with persons whose opinions deserve to have some
weight, I will take the liberty of stating them. In a conversation with
an ancient and respectable merchant of this place, such a view of the
true state of the commercial connections of America and Great Britain
was presented to him, as induced him to acknowledge they had been
mistaken in their opinions, and to ask, that Mr. Adams and myself would
permit the chairman of the committee of American merchants to call on
us. He observed, that the same person happened to be also chairman of
the committee of the whole body of British merchants; and that such was
the respect paid to his person and office, that we might consider what
came from him, as coming from the committees themselves. He called on
us at an appointed hour. He was a Mr. Duncan Campbell, formerly much
concerned in the American trade. We entered on the subject of the
non-execution of the late treaty of peace, alleged on both sides.
We observed, that the refusal to deliver the western posts, and the
withdrawing American property, contrary to express stipulation, having