Thomas Jefferson Papers
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John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 28 July 1819

From John Adams

Quincy July 28th 1819—

Dear Sir

I inclose you a National Register, to convince you that the Essex Register is not to blame for printing the Mecklenburg1 County Resolutions, on the Contrary I think it to be commended—for if those Resolutions were genuine they ought to be published in every Gazette in the world—If they are one of those tricks which our fashionable Men in England call hoax’es and boares—they ought to be printed in all American Journals; exposed to public resentment and the Auther of them hunted to his dark Cavern—for altho you and I should as easily believe that a flaming Brand might be thrust into a Magazine of Powder without producing an Explosion—as that those Resolutions could have passed in 1775—had not been known to2 any Member of Congress in 1776.—and if they were not known to you, as I am very sure they were not, It is impossible they could have been known to any-other Member.—

I am Sir, whether at your first, or second home—

always affecly and Respectful’y your Friend

John Adams

RC (DLC); in Louisa C. Smith’s hand, signed by Adams; endorsed by TJ as received 16 Aug. 1819 and so recorded in SJL. RC (DLC); address cover only; with PoC of TJ to John H. Cocke, 16 Sept. 1820, on verso; addressed by Smith: “Thomas Jefferson late President of the United States. Monticello”; franked; postmarked Quincy, 29 July. FC (Lb in MHi: Adams Papers). Enclosure: Washington National Register, 15 May 1819 (TJ’s copy in DLC: TJ Papers, 215:38426–9); see enclosure to Adams to TJ, 22 June 1819, and note.

“Bores” (boares) are mockeries or tricks (OED description begins James A. H. Murray, J. A. Simpson, E. S. C. Weiner, and others, eds., The Oxford English Dictionary, 2d ed., 1989, 20 vols. description ends ).

1RC: “Mecklingburg.” FC: “Mecklengburg.”

2Here “you” is canceled.

Index Entries

  • Adams, John; and Mecklenburg Co., N.C., “Declaration of Independence” search
  • Adams, John; letters from search
  • Adams, John; sends works to TJ search
  • American Revolution; and Mecklenburg Co., N.C., “Declaration of Independence” search
  • Continental Congress, U.S.; and Mecklenburg Co., N.C., “Declaration of Independence” search
  • Continental Congress, U.S.; TJ as member of search
  • Declaration of Independence; and Mecklenburg Co., N.C., “Declaration of Independence” search
  • Essex Register (Salem, Mass., newspaper) search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Public Service; in Continental Congress search
  • Mecklenburg County, N.C.; alleged “Declaration of Independence” of search
  • National Register (Washington newspaper) search
  • newspapers; Salem, Mass.,Essex Register search
  • newspapers; WashingtonNational Register search
  • Smith, Louisa Catharine (John Adams’s niece); as J. Adams’s amanuensis search