John Jay as "the only man in whose qualifications for success there would
be thorough confidence." Jay was then chief-justice, but the crisis was so
dangerous as to justify Washington in calling him even from that important
post. He had matchless qualifications for the mission. He had been
minister to Spain, 1778-1782; he had been one of the commissioners who had
negotiated the treaty of peace of 1783; he had been Secretary of Foreign
Affairs, 1784-1789; so that he had had an experience which familiarized
him with every detail of the questions at issue. As a negotiator he had
always gained marked success by acting upon his own principle that "a
little good-natured wisdom often does more in politics than much slippery
craft." Jay showed fine patriotism in accepting the appointment. He
remarked to his friends that no man could frame a treaty with Great
Britain without making himself unpopular and odious and he accepted the
mission under "a conviction that to refuse it would be to desert my duty
for the sake of my ease and domestic concerns and comforts."

Jay was nominated as envoy extraordinary on April 16, 1794, and, after
three days of violent debate, the appointment was confirmed by the
Senate. The event did not moderate the rage of the House for immediate
action. Some members urged that it was indelicate for the House to be
passing reprisals at a time when the Executive was attempting friendly
negotiations; but the reply was made that, if there was any indelicacy, it
was on the part of the Executive, inasmuch as the House proceedings had
been already begun when the President decided to nominate an envoy
extraordinary. While Congress was fuming and wrangling, Jay was proceeding
with his difficult task. He sailed on May 12, and on June 8 landed
in England where he was hospitably received. Despite these personal
attentions, the differences to be adjusted were so numerous and
complicated that on the surface the situation looked almost hopeless.
Conditions, however, were really more favorable than they appeared to be.
A change, latent but influential, had taken place in the mental attitude
of the governing class in England. There had been a notion that American
independence would not last long and that the country would eventually be
restored to the British Crown. The drift of events was rather in that
direction until Hamilton's measures gave the ascendancy to the forces
making for American national development. The practic