The Selected Papers of John Jay, a publications project under the auspices of the Rare Book and Manuscript Library, is currently completing work on volume 4 of that edition, covering 1785-1789, the period of John Jay’s term of office as Secretary for Foreign Affairs.

During that time Jay promoted constitutional reform and defended the proposed constitution in five widely circulated essays of the Federalist Papers and in an equally well-regarded pamphlet addressed to the people of the state of New York, and signed “A Citizen of New York.”

Jay also played a dominant role in the state ratifying convention, helping to ensure that his Anti-federalist-dominated state ultimately ratified the Constitution and remained within the union.  Volume 4 will print Jay’s correspondence on constitutional issues with Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and others, and not only the published texts of his “A Citizen of New York” pamphlet and his Federalist essays but his draft versions of The Federalist, so that readers can examine the process by which Jay shaped his arguments for maximum effect.