It is quite fitting that John Jay should be in attendance at the recreation of the First Inauguration at Federal Hall in New York. Back in April 30, 1789, George Washington took the oath of office outside Federal Hall. He then went into Federal Hall and gave his Inauguration Address. Afterwards, Washington, Adams, the Cabinet (Jay Secretary of State because Jefferson did not return to the United States until March 1790; Henry Knox Secretary of War, Edmund Randolph and Alexander Hamilton Secretary of the Treasury), The Senate and the House of Representatives walked down Wall Street and went north six blocks on Broadway to attend a worship service at St. Paul's Chapel.
Jay was no stranger to George Washington. Jay was not one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. With at least 100 British ships in the area of New York City harbor, Jay was occupied with the defense of New York. Quite possibly you have heard of Henry Knox's obtaining cannon from Fort Ticonderoga and then taken to Boston in 1775. Jay brought cannon from Salisbury, Connecticut to Fort Montgomery as he rode on horseback 280 miles in 4 days. Also during the events leading up to the battle of Brooklyn, Jay was in charge of a group to detect conspiracies. Jay's group found out Thomas Hickey's plan to kidnap and possibly kill General Washington. Jay was a colonel in the New York Militia and was responsible for Alexander Hamilton getting a captain position in the New York artillery. jay had to move his family to Fishkill and Poughkeepsie as New York was in British hands. Jay helped write New York's Constitution after the Declaration of Independence in 1777. After being in attendance three days at Continental Congress in 1778, Jay was elected President. During his term as President Jay stood with Washington during the Conway Cabal. Washington knew that Jay had his back again.
