A late
incident has satisfied me that I wronged him as well as her in not
yielding entire confidence to this assurance on her part. Two of the Mr.
------, my neighbors and friends, took a tour to the northward during
the last summer. In Boston they fell into company with Mr. Adams, and by
his invitation passed a day with him at Braintree. He spoke out to
them every thing which came uppermost, and as it occurred to his mind,
without any reserve, and seemed most disposed to dwell on those things
which happened during his own administration. He spoke of his masters,
as he called his Heads of departments, as acting above his control, and
often against his opinions. Among many other topics, he adverted to
the unprincipled licentiousness of the press against myself, adding, 'I
always loved Jefferson, and still love him.'
This is enough for me. I only needed this knowledge to revive towards
him all the affections of the most cordial moments of our lives.
Changing a single word only in Dr. Franklin's character of him, I
knew him to be always an honest man, often a great one, but sometimes
incorrect and precipitate in his judgments: and it is known to those who
have ever heard me speak of Mr. Adams, that I have ever done him justice
myself, and defended him when assailed by others, with the single
exception as to his political opinions. But with a man possessing so
many other estimable qualities, why should we be dissocialized by mere
differences of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, or any
thing else.
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