Page:History of the University of Pennsylvania - Montgomery (1900).djvu/395

Prospect he has had of advancing the Design he has been so good as to undertake, for the Interest of the College . * * * A Brief would be very beneficial, but whether there is a prospect to obtain this will be the best judged of by their Lordships, [i, e. the Archbishop of Canterbury and the First Lord of Trade, to whom he was to apply for Advice] as soon as he conveniently can after his Arrival. Dr. Jay, " a gentleman of this city, of a liberal education and of Eminence in his Profession," was a native of West- chester County, New York, the fourth son of Peter Jay and an elder brother of Hon. John Jay. On arriving in England he at once communicated with Dr. Smith, and doubtless suggested a joint concern in their matters. He had already taken steps to securing a Brief, and the authorities entertaining this, the Archbishop of Canterbury advised Dr. Smith to make a similar application, and recommended them both that a joint application on behalf of both Colleges should be made to the King. Dr. Smith appeared much disappointed at this turn of affairs, and he wrote home on 10 July : Just now I am so disconcerted that, I know not what to do. * * * Dr. Jay has just called on me, and told me that, some business of his own calling him to England, the people of the College at New York had applied to and empowered him to solicit money for them . Here was a strange clashing of interests and applications, and the common friends of both Colleges were afraid that both schemes might be defeated by this method of doing business, and that the public would be disgusted with such fre- quent applications, and so close upon the heels of each other. A proposal was made to unite both designs, but I thought my own interest best, pro- vided the good Archbishop shared his countenance equally, and we could agree to keep at a good distance from each other ; nor could I well stomach the thought of being concerned with people who had followed so close upon us as if on purpose to interfere with and prevent our success. 8 To the Trustees he writes of the : Great perplexity which the Headlong and ill-timed Application from the College of New York gave to the Archbishop and other great Personages who were equally disposed to serve both Designs. * * * After the Transactions and clashing of Interests, whereof my former letters will fully acquaint you, it was agreed, with the particular Advice of the Archbishop, 3 Smith i. 300.