The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-04-23
! T..

II ia a chapter contributed by the editor
| which throws light upon NewYcrk society In the
narrow ana conventional meaning OF the word.
at the epoch when the Federal Government
was organized under the Constitution. There
is extant, 1t seems. a means OF gaining an OK.
act and q minute acquaintance with social
events and conspicuous personages during the
early days Of the republic. There has been
preserved Mrs. John Jays dinner and supper
list for 1881 period when her husband was
| Secretary for Foreign Affairs for the CONT
mental Congress-. With the help OF this list
and some auxiliary documents We can look In
on the banquet halls OF the mansions OF that
day and people them again with those who
used to gather there. As host and hostess at
the dinners and suppers for which the list was
composed. Mr.. and Mrs. John Jay are sim
gled out by Gen. Wilson for particular no.
tice. The truth is that for the moment
John jays position made him practically
tho chief Of tho State. In the condition
OF Continental government under the
Articles OF Confederation the Secretary for
Foreign Affairs was from q collective point OF
Wow tho only concrete expression OF the
powers Just wrested from Great Britain to
which other nations could address themselves.
His position is very properly compared BY
tho editor to that which John Of Barneveld &C.
Cupltu III II0 AutCh ACpu'AiS . sAS N"A@S
part OF the seventeenth century. As the
principal civil functionary. it was Mr.. jays
duty to instruct the republics ENJOYS to
foreign courts. and to receive the Ministers
from foreign countries. In the social duties
incident to his post he was assisted by his
wife. who was q daughter OF William Living
ston. Governor OF New Jersey. The house oc-
cupied by the Jays was in Broadway. and was
marked 1873 in the directory for 1879. but
1t Is difficult to identify the exact location.
owing to subsequent changes in the mode OF
numbering. The editor thinks 1t stood Boz
tween Cedar and Liberty streets. then known
respectively as Little Queen and Crown streets.
The names preserved on Mrs. jays lists fall
naturally into groups corresponding TO the
several liberal professions. The New York
bar gave to the drawing rooms OF the day such
names as James Duane. Richard Harrison.
Aaron Burr. Alexander Hamilton. Morgan
Lewis. Robert Troup. Robert R. Livingston.
Egbert Benson. John Watts. Gouverneur
Morris. Richard Varick. John Lansing. Josiah
Ogden Hoffman. and James Kent. 1t is well
known that Aaron Burr was distinguished for
his social qualities. His engaging manners
gave him q certain measure OF influence. even
after his Political life had suffered shipwrocE.
NJ. Brissot dc warviiie.. who mot him frequent
ly in the SALONS Of the time. records with en-
thuslasm his favorable Impressions. About
Hamilton the Duke de Rochefoucauld records
q fact which he doubtless learned In New York
society: Disinterestedness in regard to
money. rare everywhere and very rare In
America. is one OF the most generally recog-
nized traits OF Mr.. Hamilton. and although
his actual practice might be very lucrative.
1 learn from his clients that their sole
complaint against him is the smallness
Of the fees which he asks Of them" We need
scarcely mention that Mrs. Hamilton was a
daughter OF Gen. Philip Schuyler OF Albany:
the following reference TO her occurs in the
pages OF NJ. Brissot de Warville: "a charming
woman. who joins to the Graces all the tender
ness and simplicity OF an American WIFE,"
Mrs. Hamilton's Inequalities were dispensed
at q house on the corner OF Broad and Wall
streets. As at this period the city OF New
York. besides being the Federal capital. was
also the State capital. Robert r. Livingston.
the Chancellor. lived here: his residence was
alta Broadway. Another name conspicuous In
the annals of the State government is that OF
Morgan Lewis. who married q sister OF Chan.
cellor Livingston. Levi became Chief
Justice. and In 1904 defeated Burr as candi-
date for Governor. John Lansing. who had
been Mayor OF Albany. was at this time. in New
York as a Representative In the Legislature.
He succeeded Livingston as Chancellor. and
was himself succeeded by James Kent.
Passing to the clergymen and physicians
who figure on Mrs. Jays list. we find the
names Of DR.. John Henry Livingston and DR..
William Linn. both ministers OF the Dutch Re-
formed Church. DIR. Linn was the first to &C.
cupy the office OF Chaplain to tho House OF
Representatives. We also encounter the
names Of the two Presbyterian ministers. DR..
John Rogers and DR.. John Mason. The former
was pastor OF both the Wall Street Church
ana the Brick Meeting House: the latter ediiice
stood on the site Of the Ne1 York Times and
Potter buildings. DR.. Mason was minister Of the
Scotch or Covenanter Church. situated on the
south side OF Cedar street. between Nassau
and broadway. Among the Episcopal clergy
occurs the name OF DIR. BENJAMIN Moore. who
was now rector OF Trinity: he lived not far
from the church. at Az Broadway. Chief. how
ever. among tho Episcopal clergy. from
a social point OF view. was DR.. Pro-
voost. Bishop OF New York. DR.. Provost
was not only an accomplished scholar.
In the sense which the word then bore. but he
Is said to have been also familiar with the
French. German. and Italian literatuIes. The
bishop Of New York at that time received .
house with a salary OF 600 per annum. the
pound In New York then being worth about
S2.oo The medical profession was represent
ed on Mrs. jays dinner list only by DR.. John
Charlton. DIR. BENJAMIN Nissan, and DR.. John
sor. DT. Johnson's name iB most frequently
encountered. 1t Is surprising that ST. eminent
asurgeon as DR.. Wright Post should not ap-
pear among the guests ut Secretary jays.
ASIDE from the professional contributions to
the society OF the day. there were. OF course.
not o lew who wed tlioir places to birth. be-
Ing the descendants OF colonial families OF
wealth and influence. Among tho family
names most frequently met with on Mrs. jays
list are those Of the Bayards. the Beck
the Crugers. the Do Peystsrs. the Livingstons.
the Morrisss. the Schuylsrs. the Van Cort-
lAndts. the Van Rsnsselasrs. the verplancks.
and the WAttses. Letters OF the day which are
preserved bear testimony to the beauty. grace.
and attractivsnsss OF many members OF those
families either by blood or marriage Among
those mentioned by the editor are Mrs. John
Watts and Mrs. William Duer. the daughters
OF William Alexander. who made claim to the
earldom OF Sterling. but whose claim has
been disallowed. We hear also OF Lady
Christiana Grimm. the wife OF Cyrus