John Jay Writings and Biography

Click for larger image. John Jay; Stuart, Gilbert Charles; 1794

Jay, John; 1745-1829; judge and statesman; member of 1st and 2nd Continental Congresses, also N.Y. Provincial Congress; chief draftsman of "Constitution" of N.Y., 1776; Chief Justice of N.Y. 1776-1779; member and President of Continental Congress, 1778; Minister to Spain, 1779; member of Commission to negotiate treaty with Great Britain, 1782; in charge of foreign affairs for the Confederation government, 1784-1790; co-author with Madison and Hamilton of The Federalist, 1787-1788, written in support of ratification of the Constitution (he wrote 5 essays on foreign affairs); appointed first Chief Justice of the U.S., 1789; negotiated "Jay's Treaty" with Great Britain in 1794; elected Governor of N.Y. in 1795, served until 1800 and, as such, signed into law the Act abolishing slavery in N.Y.

Biographical data courtesy of The American Ideal of 1776: 12 Basic American Principles.

Other Writings:

The Federalist Papers - Documents written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay in support of ratification of the Constitution of the United States, first appearing in newspapers in the State of New York.

Treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation, 1794 - Treaty with Great Britain to re-establish relations, commerce and navigation.