This brought on a correspondence which I now enclose for
your perusal, after which be so good as to return it to me, as I have
never communicated it to any mortal breathing, before. I send it to you,
to convince you I have not been wanting either in the desire, or the
endeavor to remove this misunderstanding. Indeed, I thought it highly
disgraceful to us both, as indicating minds not sufficiently elevated to
prevent a public competition from affecting our personal friendship. I
soon found from the correspondence that conciliation was desperate,
and yielding to an intimation in her last letter, I ceased from further
explanation. I have the same good opinion of Mr. Adams which I ever had.
I know him to be an honest man, an able one with his pen, and he was a
powerful advocate on the floor of Congress. He has been alienated from
me, by belief in the lying suggestions contrived for electioneering
purposes, that I perhaps mixed in the activity and intrigues of the
occasion. My most intimate friends can testify that I was perfectly
passive. They would sometimes, indeed, tell me what was going on; but
no man ever heard me take part in such conversations; and none ever
misrepresented Mr. Adams in my presence without my asserting his just
character. With very confidential persons I have doubtless disapproved
of the principles and practices of his administration. This was
unavoidable. But never with those with whom it could do him any injury.
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