71To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 30 June 1814 (Adams Papers)
The subject of this letter, is the celebration of the 4th of July at Lexington; a fete which I hope will be honored by your company. The crisis appears to require every measure for animating the friends of our Independence. In this quarter they are sensible of it, & are making every exertion for honoring the day. Your ideas on this subject, as communicated by accident, always struck my mind...