JOHN JAY, STATESMAN AND JUEIST 249 



remembering the treatment which France had given to 

 his forebears. When the peace treaty had been signed, 

 Jay resigned all his commissions and came back to New 

 York in 1784 as a private citizen, after ten years of most 

 ai'duous and brilliant service for his country — a service 

 that had contributed iis much as that of any other man to 

 the shaping of the policies and course of the young Re- 

 public. 



IV 



But he could not remain in private life ; he was too 

 valuable to the state. He was j) resented with the freedom offices and 

 of the city, and at once elected delegate to Congress. 

 Before he reached America, indeed, that body had chosen 

 him to be foreign secretary, and he held that position 

 until the beginning of the Federal Government in 1789. 

 He was foremost in the organization of that government, 

 and joined Hamilton and Madison in issuing the Feder- 

 alist. He published an address to the people of New 

 York, in vindication of the Constitution, and worked 

 zealously with Hamilton for its adoption by New York. 

 From his legal acquirements and judicial temperament it First chief 

 was natural and fitting that under this new government sup^reme 

 he was appointed, September 26, 1789, the first Chief ^°"" " 

 Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. The 

 two men who through their ability and influence swung 

 New York into line for the Federal Constitution were of 

 French blood. 



None of the great statesmen who founded the Republic 

 escaped detraction at some period, and Jay was in the jay's Treaty 

 company of Washington and others in this respect. It 

 was necessary to make a commercial treaty with Great 

 Britain, if war was to be averted, and Chief Justice Jay 

 was appointed envoy to England for that purpose in 1794. 

 He signed a treaty with Lord Grenville November 19th, 

 after four months spent in negotiations, and landed in 

 New York again in May, 1795. "Jay's Treaty" was 

 fiercely attacked, particularly because of the article de- 



