I am much mortified at not hearing from you. I wrote to you last week & am now setting out for Bristol in order to meet Mrs. Livingston. I could wish to find Mrs. Jay there also. Pray send some of our Colleagues along, otherwise I must be more confined than either my health or inclination will allow.(1) You have doubtless seen the acct. brought by the Rifleman from London by which it appears that we shall at least have 34000 Com[mission]ers.
If your Congress have any spirit they will at least build 14 or 15 light boats capable of carrying a 12 pounder to secure Hudsons River which is to be the chief scene of action. The carpenters employed on the frigate would build 2 or three in a day if they were built in the manner of Batoes which is the true construction. (Mr. Rogers desired I would write to you to take up a Letter brought by the packet directed to Josiah A Beal in Maryland.) I wish you would direct Gaine to send me his paper. God bless you. Yours Most Sincerely,
Robt R. Livingston
RC (NNC), Addressed: "To Coll. John Jay, New York."
1 In a May 29 letter written from New York, Jay regretfully informed Livingston that Mrs, Jay would be unable to go to Bristol on account of ill health and that he would "again take a solitary Ride to Philadelphia whenever the Convention who have directed me to abide here till their further Order, shall think fit to dismiss me," He also noted: "Messrs. Alsop and Lewis set out next Saturday for Philadelphia. Mr. Duane informs me that he is about to return home, and considering how long he has been absent from his Family I think him intitled to that Indulgence. I pray God that your Health may enable you to attend constantly, at least till it may be in my Power to relieve you. Is Mr. Clinton returned?" Jay, Papers (Morris), p. 271. See also James Duane to John Jay, May 25, 1776,