The second volume of The Selected Papers of John Jay opens in January 1780 with Jay's arrival in Spain on his first diplomatic mission abroad. It ends in June 1782 with his departure for France to join Benjamin Franklin in negotiating a peace treaty with Great Britain. Jay's mission in Spain was to seek recognition of American independence, a treaty of alliance, and financial aid, despite Spain's refusal to receive any American diplomat as representative of an independent nation. His personal letters supplement the public correspondence with American, Spanish, and French officials...