The unexpected treasure of this volume is the unavoidable contrast between Mr. Adams and Thomas Jefferson. In my estimation, both men have their place in history; Adams as the ultimate Patriot son and Jefferson as the equal politician.
Men signed the Declaration of Independence, both men desired to create a free nation, throughout public life Jefferson often undermined the friendship and the cause of liberty by selfish ambition and Mr. Adams on occasion publicly called Mr. Jefferson to task for the inconsistencies between his stated beliefs and the life he personally led, but in later years both men expressed great admiration and forgiveness toward one another, both men lived long lives, died on the same day, within hours of one another; July 4th, on the Nations 50th Birthday.
Throughout his life Jefferson lived a life of contradictions; he authored the greatest decree of self-government ever put to paper and yet would have been happier had our little republic been more like France, where indeed he spent much of the early years of the Revolution as Ambassador for this nation, often doing little more than soaking-up the culture and bedding whom he might.
While Jefferson wrote “early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise’, he habit was to party late into the night and sleep in late into the day. The man wrote so eloquently and rightly wrote of “all men, being created equal”, until his dying day was dependant upon slaves to keep and build his ever-expanding Monticello.
During his lifetime, Jefferson freed only six of his slaves, ironically none of them included his concubine or the illegitimate children that her fathered by her. After his death the remaining slaves were auctioned-off on his front lawn.
In spite of coming from means, while Jefferson wrote, “Never a borrower or lender be” he remained heavily in debt his entire life and died over $100.000 in debt, more than everything he owned, including his homes and land were worth. Soon all that he had, including furnishings, personal effects and his beloved Monticello, which had fallen into disrepair were all sold far below their value in a feeble attempt to erase his debt.
Jefferson at times expressed great faith in the God of Heaven, at other times and as demonstrated by his life considered himself something other than a Christian; what the man truly believed is impossible to say. At the end of his life he expressed regret and wished he could live life over; Jefferson died a broken man and wrote his own epitaph, which he had put into stone and placed upon his grave, it reads;
Here Was Buried
THOMAS JEFFERSON
Author of the Declaration of American Independence,
Of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom,
And Father of the University of Virginia
Throughout his life Adams lived a life of Christian devotion and public service; he singed the greatest decree of self-government ever put to paper and fought for self-government of the people, by the people and for the people, although such sentiment wouldn’t be put into those eloquent words until generations later by another truly great President.
Adams served his country as Ambassador, but was not a stranger to loss or toil. He and his family sacrificed much for the ideals alive in his heart. When others including Jefferson might have quit the experiment of a free nation, it was the zeal and determination of John Adams that would not be compromised. The man worked tirelessly, spent years apart from his family and home in order to secure the future of a struggling colt of a nation.
The man not only believed as Jefferson did that slavery was wrong, he often fought Jefferson over the subject of slavery and indeed refused to keep slaves, believing with all his heart; “that all men are created equal.” Until his dying day Adams fought “the evil of slavery” at every turn.
Adams was not only a professed Christian man; he was a moral man whose life ever reflected his devotion to his God, family and nation.
Never a rich man, always worried about making ends meet, John Adams did not accumulate many material good during his lifetime, however when he died, his net worth was approximately $100,000. He left a hardy estate to his heirs.
He was buried modestly and his family refused a funeral held at public expense at the State House for they wanted no part of what could appear a “forcing” of public tributes; they instead heeded the expressed wishes of their father.
Adams always expressed great faith in the God of Heaven, in spite many, many personal tragedies. By the end of his life he had attained an ability to see God and His blessings in every situation. Once when a huge winter storm fell trees and buried New England in ice and snow, he looked across his battered homeland and rejoiced at the beauty of the crystals which he thought shone brighter than diamonds. He lauded the beauty of the white carpet which covers all the ugliness beneath. When questioned by Jefferson whether he would like to begin life again, Adams replied that he was quit content to leave this old world and ready to see the next.
Adams had an epithet written for his great-great grandfather; the first Mr. Adams who set foot upon American soil, but did not prepare anything to boast of his own attainments.
I sum-up the lesson of the life of John Adams with the eternal truth it is better to give than to receive. “Men who aspire to greatness must write their own epithets, posterity remembers sincere men who are truly great.” Gary Holman
