John Adams on Congress Declaring Independence

On 3 July 1776 John Adams wrote 2 letters to his wife Abigail. In the 1st letter, he 1st replies to some things in a letter from her that he had just received. Then he talked a little about the events of 2 July.

Later that day he wrote a 2nd letter in which he totally focused on Congress' vote of 2 July. In that letter he made some very accurate predictions about how we would celebrate the event. The only thing he got wrong was the date. & that has to do with the fact that the Declaration of Independence says 4 July on it, not 2 July.

How did this happen? Simple. 2 July was the day Congress declared the colonies independence from Great Britain. The next 2 days were spend debating the document presented by the "Declaration Committee" that consisted of Jefferson, Adams, Franklin, Roger Sherman & Robert Livingston. (The declaration Adams refers to in the 1st letter.) After vigerous debate & more than 84 changes (including dropping the slavery clause), the document was approved on 4 July 1776, the date at the top of the document. So, that is the date that has stuck in our national conscience. & no, John Hancock did not sign it with his large signature that we are all familiar with on 4 July either. That had to wait until the copy we now have in the National Archives was produced. It was probably signed by Hancock & some of the others on 2 August 1776.

these letters are well worth reading because they give us a truer idea of what our Founding Fathers saw as the role of faith in relation to the governement. There was no "seperation of church & state" as is so often promulgated today by taking a later quote from Adams & 1 from Jefferson out of context. It is also interesting to note how he said it was to be commemorated: "It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty." Everything else we see as the primamry way of celebrating he say as ways to solomnize the commemoration, not the way to commemorate it.

The 1st letter shows how he viewed the people, a view that is just as true today. Every generation needs this same furnace of purification. Again a very Christian view of things that we want to ignore these days.

The 2nd letter contains 1 of my favorite quotes from Adams. It remends us of the cost that we as American citizens are called to bear. & that cost is a reflection of the cost that we are called to pay as Christians.

so don't tell me that this nation wasn't founded on Judeo-Christian Principles. & that our Christian faith has no part in the national discussion.

1st Letter to Abigail Adams

Philadelphia July 3. 1776

(pg2) Yesterday the greatest Question was decided, which ever was debated in America, and a greater perhaps, never was or will be decided among Men. A Resolution was passed without one dissenting Colony "that these united Colonies, are, and of right ought to be free and independent States, and as such, they have, and of Right ought to have full Power to make War, conclude Peace, establish Commerce, and to do all the other Acts and Things, which other States may rightfully do." You will see in a few days a Declaration setting forth the Causes, which have impell'd Us to this mighty Revolution, and the Reasons which will justify it, in the Sight of God and Man. A Plan of Confederation will be taken up in a few days.
When I look back to the Year 1761, and recollect the Argument concerning Writs of Assistance, in the Superiour Court, which I have hitherto considered as the Commencement of the Controversy, between Great Britain and America, and run through the whole Period from that Time to this, and recollect the series of political Events, the Chain of Causes and Effects, I am surprized at the Suddenness, as well as Greatness of this Revolution. Britain has been fill'd with Folly, and America with Wisdom, at least this is my judgment. -- Time must determine. It is the Will of Heaven, that the two Countries should be sundered forever. It may be the Will of Heaven that America shall suffer Calamities still more wasting and Distresses yet more dreadfull. If this is to be the Case, it will have this good Effect, at least: it will inspire Us with many Virtues, which We have not, and correct many Errors, Follies, and Vices, which threaten to disturb, dishonour, and destroy Us. -- The Furnace of Affliction produces Refinement, in States as well as Individuals. And the new Governments we are assuming, in every Part, will require a Purification from our Vices, and an Augmentation of our Virtues or they will be no Blessings. The People will have unbounded Power. And the People are extreamly addicted to Corruption and Venality, as well as the Great. [The letterbook copy of this letter includes the following sentence:] [ I am not without Apprehensions from this Quarter.]-- But I must submit all my Hopes and Fears, to an overruling Providence, in which, unfashionable [ as] the Faith may be, I firmly believe.

2nd Letter to Abigail Adams

Philadelphia July 3d. 1776
Had a Declaration of Independency been made seven Months ago, it would have been attended with many great and glorious Effects . . . . We might before this Hour, have formed Alliances with foreign States. -- We should have mastered Quebec and been in Possession of Canada .... You will perhaps wonder, how such a Declaration would have influenced our Affairs, in Canada, but if I could write with Freedom I could easily convince you, that it would, and explain to you the manner how. -- Many Gentlemen in high Stations and of great Influence have been duped, by the ministerial Bubble of Commissioners to treat .... And in real, sincere Expectation of this effort Event, which they so fondly wished, they have been slow and languid, in promoting Measures for the Reduction of that Province. Others there are in the Colonies who really wished that our Enterprise in Canada would be defeated, that the Colonies might be brought into Danger and Distress between two Fires, and be thus induced to submit. Others really wished to defeat the Expedition to Canada, lest the Conquest of it, should elevate the Minds of the People too much to hearken to those Terms of Reconciliation which they believed would be offered Us. These jarring Views, Wishes and Designs, occasioned an opposition to many salutary Measures, which were proposed for the Support of that Expedition, and caused Obstructions, Embarrassments and studied Delays, which have finally, lost Us the Province.

All these Causes however in Conjunction would not have disappointed Us, if it had not been for a Misfortune, which could not be foreseen, and perhaps could not have been prevented, I mean the Prevalence of the small Pox among our Troops .... This fatal Pestilence compleated our Destruction. -- It is a Frown of Providence upon Us, which We ought to lay to heart.
But on the other Hand, the Delay of this Declaration to this Time, has many great Advantages attending it. -- The Hopes of Reconciliation, which were fondly entertained by Multitudes of honest and well meaning tho weak and mistaken People, have been gradually and at last totally extinguished. -- Time has been given for the whole People, maturely to consider the great Question of Independence and to ripen their judgments, dissipate their Fears, and allure their Hopes, by discussing it in News Papers and Pamphletts, by debating it, in Assemblies, Conventions, Committees of Safety and Inspection, in Town and County Meetings, as well as in private Conversations, so that the whole People in every Colony of the 13, have now adopted it, as their own Act. -- This will cement the Union, and avoid those Heats and perhaps Convulsions which might have been occasioned, by such a Declaration Six Months ago.
But the Day is past. The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America.

I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.
You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. -- I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. -- Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not.