John Jay

John Jay (December 12, 1745 – May 17, 1829) was an American politician, statesman, revolutionary, diplomat and jurist. He is noted for serving with Benjamin Franklin and John Adams in France and writing part of the Federalist Papers with Alexander Hamilton and James Madison. He also is remembered for serving on the U.S. Supreme Court as the first, as well as the youngest Chief Justice of the United States, from 1789 to 1794.

Secretary of Foreign Affairs

In 1784, Jay was named Secretary of Foreign Affairs, an office which would later become known as the Secretary of State.

Related Topics:
1784 - Secretary of State

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As the national government under the Articles of Confederation proved to be unworkable, Jay joined Alexander Hamilton and James Madison in attacking the Articles. Jay argued in his Address to the People of the State of New-York, on the Subject of the Federal Constitution that the Articles of Confederation were too weak and ineffective a form of government. He contended that:

Related Topics:
Articles of Confederation - Alexander Hamilton - James Madison

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may make war, but are not empowered to raise men or money to carry it on—they may make peace, but without power to see the terms of it observed—they may form alliances, but without ability to comply with the stipulations on their part—they may enter into treaties of commerce, but without power to inforce them at home or abroad…—In short, they may consult, and deliberate, and recommend, and make requisitions, and they who please may regard them.

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Jay did not attend the Constitutional Convention, but he joined Hamilton and Madison in aggressively arguing in favor of the creation of a new and more powerful, centralized, but nonetheless balanced system of government. Writing under the shared pseudonym of "Publius", they articulated this vision in the Federalist Papers, a series of eighty-five articles, written to persuade the citizenry to ratify the proposed Constitution of the United States. Jay wrote five of these articles:

Related Topics:
Constitutional Convention - Federalist Papers - Constitution of the United States

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• Federalist #2 Concerning Dangers from Foreign Force and Influence
• Federalist #3 Concerning Dangers from Foreign Force and Influence (continued)
• Federalist #4 Concerning Dangers from Foreign Force and Influence (continued)
• Federalist #5 Concerning Dangers from Foreign Force and Influence (continued)
• Federalist #64 The Powers of the Senate