Beschreibung:

ADAMS, John. Autograph letter signed ("J. Adams") TO BENJAMIN RUSH, Quincy, Mass., 23 August 1805. 4 full pages, 4to (9 x 7 3/8 in.), closely written . In very fine condition. ADAMS SCATHING APPRAISAL OF THE LATE ALEXANDER HAMILTON, DEPLORING HIS INFLATED REPUTATION AND RELATING AN INCIDENT INVOLVING HIMSELF, BURR, HAMILTON AND WASHINGTON An exceptionally rich and outspoken letter, reminiscing with Rush about their service in the Continental Congress during the Revolution and pondering the subsequent reputations of certain contemporaries, including James Madison, Aaron Burr (who, he reports, once called Washington "a man of no talents") and particularly the late Alexander Hamilton (killed in July 1804), whose abilities and accomplishments, he contends, have been grossly exaggerated. Following his defeat in the election of 1800, Adams, "turned to some of the relationships which had meant much to him before and which had been strained by political battles. The first of these was with Benjamin Rush, family doctor and friend," with whom he began to correspond in early 1805" (P. Smith, John Adams , p.1083). Adams comments on Rush's speculation that Pennsylvania's former state Constitution may be revived, "but," he queries, "for what reason do you call it Dr. Franklin's? I always understood it to be the work of Cannon, Matlock, Young and [Thomas] Paine, and that Franklin, though President of the Convention, had no greater hand in its fabrick than the painted head of a Ship has her pilotage and navigation...." He considers certain resolutions in Congress relative to the alliance with France, and asks Rush to "recollect and write me the particulars." This suggests the need to carefully document the events of the Revolution, and he chides Rush: "I am extremely sorry you relinquished your design of writing memoirs of the American Revolution. The burning of your documents [Rush deliberately destroyed some of his papers from that period] was let me tell you, a very rash action...Truth, justice and humanity are of eternal obligation, and we ought to preserve the evidence which can alone support them. I do not intend to let every Lye impose upon posterity." He takes strong issue with Rush's inclusion of Hamilton as an important figure of the era: "You rank Colonel Hamilton among the Revolutionary characters. But why? The Revolution had its beginning and middle and its end before he had anything to do in public affairs. Col. [Joseph] Reed, Col. [Benjamin] Harrison and Mr. Edmond Randolph, were secretaries to General Washington before Hamilton was in his Family, as an Aide de Camp or Scribe [Hamilton joined Washington's staff in March 1777]." He himself only heard of Hamilton "after the Evacuation of New York [1783] [when] this boy came forward a bawling advocate for the Tories....Hamilton's zeal in their favour precured him their votes and interest not only in the City of New York but all over the continent as long as he lived." He mentions Hamilton's quarrel with Washington, just before Yorktown: "He quitted the army...in a pet and a miff with Washington. Great art has been used to propagate an opinion that Hamilton was the writer of Washington's best letters and most popular addresses: especially that to the governors of the states [the so-called Circular to the States, see lot 13] or his resignation of his command of the army. This I know to be false..." "The Revolution began," Adams asserts, "in strict exactness from the surrender of Montreal in 1759. It took a gloomy and dreadful form in 1761 so as to convice me at least that it would be inevitable. It continued, till 1776 when on the fourth of July it was compleated. The parts we acted from 1761 to 1776 were more difficult more dangerous and more disagreeable than all the happened afterwards till the Peace of 1783. I know therefore of no fair title that Hamilton has to a revolutionary character. You say that Washington and Hamilton are idolized by the Tories--Hamilton is: Washingt