"M. Gardoqui of Bilboa writes me, that he has received bills on me for thirteen thousand three hundred and thirtyfive dollars, with orders immediately to ship the amount in goods to America. They will be presented tomorrow, and he expects an answer by Monday's post. If an immediate acceptance or refusal should be insisted on by any one of them, a protest must ensue, and American credit be reduced to the lowest ebb. What am I to do? If your Excellency should direct me to accept these bills payable at Bilboa, they will, as before, demand at what House they are to be paid. "I must entreat your Excellency to relieve me and my country from this painful situation, and to pardon the trouble I am obliged to give you. "With great respect and esteem, I have the honor to be, &c. JOHN JAY." "_P. S._ The enclosed contains intelligence from America." No answer. Having first visited the holders of the bills, and obtained further time till Monday next, on the 24th I set out for St Ildefonso. I arrived the next day, and wrote the Count the following letter. "St Ildefonso, August 25th, 1780. "Sir, "I arrived here this morning, but was prevented from immediately doing myself the honor of paying my respects to your Excellency, by fatigue and indisposition. "In a letter I had the honor of writing to your Excellency on the 16th instant, I mentioned, that the holders of the bills began to grow impatient. On the 18th instant, I informed your Excellency by another letter, that their applications to me for acceptance had become so pressing, as that I found myself under the necessity of again requesting your directions. "I have accepted Messrs Joyce's bills payable at Bilboa, agreeable to your Excellency's directions on the 5th of July last, and they have agreed to wait some time for the name of the House there, which may be employed to pay them. The other gentlemen were induced to delay requiring of me a decisive answer until Monday next, on my assurances, that they should then receive one. "The inducements and reasons, which urged Congress into this measure, are known to your Excellency, and it would be no less unnecessary than improper to recapitulate the consequences, which must ensue from the success or failure of it. "I fear your Excellency thinks I am too solicitous, too importunate. But when it is considered, that the holders of these bills are not under my control, and that they require an answer from me, I flatter myself that the trouble I give your Excellency on this subject will appear to arise from a sense of my duty, and not from the impulse of impatience.