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Subject Area: Political Theory
Topic: The American Revolution and Constitution

TO URIAH FORREST. - John Adams, The Works of John Adams, vol. 8 (Letters and State Papers 1782-1799) [1853]

Edition used:

The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: with a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations, by his Grandson Charles Francis Adams (Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1856). 10 volumes. Vol. 8.

Part of: The Works of John Adams, 10 vols.

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Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals.


TO URIAH FORREST.

Dear Sir,

I received yesterday your favor of the 23rd, and am very much obliged to you for it. The paper inclosed in it is a serious thing. It will be a motive, in addition to many others, for me to be upon my guard. It is evidence of a mind, soured, yet seeking for popularity, and eaten to a honeycomb with ambition, yet weak, confused, uninformed, and ignorant. I have been long convinced that this ambition is so inconsiderate as to be capable of going great lengths. I shall carefully keep the secret, as far as it may compromise characters and names.1

It would afford me great pleasure to make a visit to the city of Washington, Mount Vernon, Georgetown, &c.; but the summer will be a busy one, and my own health, as well as that of your friend Mrs. Adams, will oblige us to go northward, if we stir from Pennsylvania this year.

I receive very kindly your offer to communicate information to me from time to time. I shall stand in need of it from all quarters, and shall receive it from none with more pleasure.

I am, Sir, with great esteem, &c.

John Adams.

[1 ]General Forrest had communicated to Mr. Adams, from memory, having heard it read, the substance of one of the many letters circulated at this time by Mr. Jefferson, under the strongest injunctions that no copy should be allowed to be taken. It is worth while to contrast the opinion here expressed of Mr. J. with the uneasiness felt by Mr. Hamilton and his friends lest Mr. Adams should be led by that gentleman. Fortunate would it have been for all the parties, if the idea of leading Mr. Adams had not been always uppermost in their minds! Hamilton’s Works, vol. vi. pp. 192, 206.