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

TO TOBIAS LEAR. - John Adams, The Works of John Adams, vol. 9 (Letters and State Papers 1799-1811) [1854]

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. 9.

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

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TO TOBIAS LEAR.

Philadelphia, 24 December, 1799.

Sir,—

I received in due season your letter of the 15th of this month, and immediately communicated it to both houses of Congress in a message. The melancholy event announced in it had been before communicated to the legislature, but upon less authentic and regular evidence. The American people are sincere mourners under the loss of their friend and benefactor. For General Washington, it is a consummation devoutly to be wished.

I pray you, Sir, to present my regards to Madam Washington and all the amiable and worthy family, and assure them of my sincere sympathy with them under this great affliction.

I feel also for yourself, as you have lost in General Washington a friend not to be replaced.1

With much esteem, &c.

John Adams.

[1 ]The death of General Washington at this moment cut off the plan which had been maturing to draw him back into the field of politics as President again. The letter of Gouverneur Morris, written by concert with Mr. Hamilton’s friends in New England, to sound his feelings on this subject, was probably lying unopened on his table. That event also cut the last thread connecting Mr. Hamilton with Mr. Adams. In his letter to Mr. Lear, Mr. Hamilton speaks of Washington as having been “an Ægis very essential to him.” And three days later he writes to Rufus King, “the irreparable loss of an inestimable man removes a control which was felt, and was very salutary.” This control was tacitly not less operative over himself, than over the individual upon whom he sought to bring it to bear. The rest of this last letter, and especially the postscript, reveals the writer’s views of public policy, as modified by this important event. Sparks’s Life of Gouverneur Morris, vol. iii. p. 123. Hamilton’s Works, vol. vi. pp. 415-417.