American Foundation Publications, Available from Sprinkle Publications, P. O. Box l094, Harrisonburg, Va.  22803, two volumes in one,   l,022 pages in hardback.

John Jay was a strong Christian and one of the most conservative of the founding fathers.  He fearlessly placed principle above politics.  He never misused an office of public trust as an opportunity for personal enrichment.  This book is the story of an outstanding patriot, written by his son, William Jay.

John Jay was born into a merchant family of Huguenot descent.  His French ancestors fled to England for safety.  Jay was born in l745 in New York City.  The strong religious beliefs that had marked his ancestors gripped, by grace, his own soul.  This stands out in his correspondence and the narrative sections his son quotes in this volume.

After graduation from Kings College, John worked in a law office and became a lawyer in l768.  Six years later he married Sarah Livingstone, the daughter of a New Jersey political leader.  Jay’s God-given gifts and abilities quickly catapulted him into a leadership position among those seeking a colonial response to English misrule.  His integrity and honesty, combined with his writing gifts, were respected by peers and opponents.

Jay’s service to the colonies was varied.  New York constituents elected him to help establish a colonial government. Later he served as a spymaster.  Also, he was selected by congress to go to Spain and raise funds for the American cause.  His trials there made me appreciate anew the sacrifices that were made to see our country established.

Becoming aware of political intrigue, Jay initiated secret negotiations with England.  This led to a treaty being signed in l783.

Jay’s public work continued.  He assisted Alexander Hamilton and James Madison in writing the Federalist Papers; this series of essays was important in securing ratification of the Constitution. After ratification, he was called upon to become the first Chief Justice of the United States.

During the French Revolution, America was on the verge of another war with England.  Jay was dispatched  to England as a special envoy to negotiate a treaty preventing war.  His personal character and reputation allowed him to be trusted by the opposition.  His tenacity and patriotism aided his pursuit of treaty clauses that were very favorable to the young nation.

Jay’s latter years in public office were spent as governor of New York.  His tenure was marked by progress in internal improvements and the freeing of slaves in that state.

His retirement years were spent in rural New York. He faced the death of his wife, the death of a daughter, and his own declining health.  He pressed forward as a good Christian, continuing to bear fruit until his death in l829.

 Review ©2006 Byron Snapp, Hampton, Virginia