John Adams

I have just finished, finally, the biography of John Adams by David McCullough for which McCullough won a Pulitzer Prize. I highly recommend this book! After reading a couple of other books on the American Revolution, I became intrigued with John Adams and decided to read more about him. Born in 1735, a native and life-long resident of Braintree/Quincy, Massachusetts, just 5 miles from Boston, Adams was a master of words, was highly educated, a graduate of Harvard and a lawyer, a thinker, and a political philosopher. His ideas are woven throughout the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. He collected books and read prolifically.

On the other hand, he loved farming, being outdoors, and enjoying nature on horse back or by walking from 5-10 miles a day, even 3 miles a day in his late 80’s. He had a great sense of humor but was prone to melancholy at times, although not surprisingly given the struggles in his life. He was highly opinionated and prided himself in his opinions, often quite stubbornly. And he dearly loved his wife, well documented by the thousands of letters that passed between them during their courtship and marriage.

In addition, he loved the Lord. He delighted in reading the Bible and worshiping on Sundays. He was mocked for his faith at times as President, especially when he called for a day of prayer and fasting with regard to the brewing unrest and uncertainty between France and the U.S. Adams was lauded all of his day for his consistent integrity and devotion to public and private virtue as pillars of democracy. He not only extoled the belief that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, he lived it out. He abhorred slavery and longed to see its end. He was one of the few original founding fathers who did not own slaves. He hired men out to work his farms instead. He was also financially wise and careful. Though he never considered himself a rich man, he was worth over $100,000 at the time of his death in 1826, at the age of 91.

His many accomplishments include service as a delegate to the First and Second Continental Congress, nominated George Washington as Commander of the Continental Army, served on the Revolutionary War Board among many other boards, served as a diplomat to France and Holland during the war as well as minister (ambassador) to the Court of St. James, wrote the Massachusetts constitution (“the oldest functioning written constitution in the world” p. 225), the first Vice President of the United States for two terms under George Washington and the second President of the United States. As president, amidst great controversy and opposition from his own party and others, he managed to keep the country out of war with France. He is also advocated for decades the need to create a defense of “wooden walls,” a navy, and under his administration, the Department of the Navy was established.

However, he is most remembered for the part he played in our country’s independence. Thomas Jefferson should most definitely be remembered for his gifted contribution to Declaration of Independence, but don’t forget John Adams. Jefferson came into the circle of revolution and independence only months before that July of 1776; Adams had been speaking and writing about it passionately for years. He was fervently devoted to the Revolutionary Cause, independence, self-government and the republic and remained so until his death. It has been said that although Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, Adams was the voice for independence in his lengthy speeches and in his writings long before and up to the drafting of the Declaration. He was part of the “Committee of Five” chosen to draft the document. After discussing what would be put in the document, Jefferson was chosen to actually write it, undoubtedly for his undeniable talents with the quill. However, you’ll notice in the painting by John Trumball that depicted the signing of the Declaration, Adams is in the center, and I think, rightly so.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book:

“There is nothing I dread so much as a division of the Republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader and converting measures in opposition to each other...”The “turbulent maneuvers” of factions, he now wrote privately, could “tie the hands and destroy the influence” of every honest man with a desire to serve the public good. There was “division of sentiments over everything,” he told his son-in-law William Smith. “How few aim at the good of the whole, without aiming too much at the prosperity of the parts.” P 422.

So much had happened in John Adam’s life - he had done so much, taken such risks, given so much of himself heart and soul in the cause of his country - that he seems not to have viewed the presidency as an ultimate career objective or crowning life achievement. He was not one given to seeing life as a climb to the top of a ladder or mountain, but more as a journey or adventure, even a “kind of romance which a little embellished with fiction or exaggeration or only poetical ornament, would equal anything in the days of chivalry or knight errantry...” Pg. 476

About the French Revolution, Adams said, “Mankind will in time discover that unbridled majorities are as tyrannical and cruel as unlimited despots,” and he lamented that so much more blood would have to flow before the lesson was learned. P. 443-444

“There must be, however,” Adams responded, “more employment for the press in favor of the government than there has been, or the sour, angry, peevish, fretful, lying paragraphs which assail it on every side will make an impression on many weak and ignorant people.” P. 441

“Laws for the liberal education of youth, especially for the lower classes of people, are so extremely wise and useful that to a humane and generous mind, no expense for this purpose would be thought extravagant.” Pg. 103

In correspondence to James Otis Warren on independence, Adams wrote, “All great changes are irksome to the human mind, especially those which are attended with great dangers and uncertain effects. No man living can foresee the consequences of such a measure...We may please ourselves with the prospect of free and popular governments. But there is great danger that those governments will not make us happy. God grant that they may. But I fear that in every assembly, members will obtain an influence by noise not sense. By meanness, not greatness. By ignorance, not learning. By contracted hearts, not large souls... There is one thing, my dear sir, that must be attempted and most sacredly observed or we are all undone. There must be decency and respect, and veneration introduced for persons of authority of every rank, or we are undone. In a popular government, this is our only way. P. 104

In a letter to his granddaughter in his last days he wrote, “The longer I live, the more I read, the more patiently I think, and the more anxiously I inquire, the less I seem to know...Do justly. Love mercy. Walk humbly. (Micah 6:8) This is enough... “