Highlights from John Adams by David McCullough

In 2005, I read David McCullough's biography of John Adams. In the spirit of former highlights blogs (Truman and The Shame of the Nation) and in honor of yesterday's celebration of Independence Day, here I present to you the highlights from John Adams:

* Writing to his wife, Abigail, about the early battles of the Revolutionary War, "paraphrasing a favorite line from the popular play Cato by Joseph Addison--a line that General Washington, too, would often call upon--Adams told her, 'We cannot insure success, but we can deserve it.'" (91)

* Thinking "beyond independence, beyond the outcome of the war, to what would be established once independence and victory were achieved," Adams wrote that a true republic was "an empire of laws and not of men." After writing about proposals for a separation of powers and checks and balances, "he urged the widest possible support for education. 'Laws for the liberal educatoin of youth, especially for the lower classes of people, are so extremely wise and useful that to a humane and generous mind, no expense for this purpose would be thought extravagant.'" (102-103)

* While living and working in Paris with Ben Franklin and Arthur Lee, he wrote, "The longer I live and the more I see of public men, the more I wish to be a private one. Modesty is a virtue that can never thrive in public." (207)

* In letters to his son, John Quincy Adams: "You will never be alone with a poet in your pocket. You will never have an idle hour." and "You will ever remember that all of the end of study is to make you a good man and a useful citizen. This will ever be the sum total of the advice of your affectionate father." (260)

* Regarding Jefferson's (Jefferson was a former good friend, and later in life that friendship would be rekindled and strengthened, but Jefferson, Adams's Vice President, had become the leader of Adams's political enemies) presidency, "I think instead of opposing all their measures, right or wrong, we ought to support every administration as far as we can in justice." (94)

* June 24, 1826, just 10 days before both Jefferson and Adams would die on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson declined (as would Adams) an invitation to Washington to celebrate the anniversary (due to poor health) and in his remarks on the anniversary wrote, "May it be to the world, what I believe it will be (to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all) the signal of arousing men to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves, and to assume the blessings and security of self-government.... All eyes are opened or opening to the rights of man. The general spread of the light of science has already laid open to every view the palpable truth, that the mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few, booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately by the grace of God. These are the grounds of hope for others; for ourselves, let the annual return to this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them." (644-645)

* John Adams, in much worse health, when asked to give some words to be read aloud at John Quincy's 4th of July celebration, said, "I will give you, 'Independence forever!'" (645)