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RELATIONS WITH ADAMS
_To Dr。 Benjamin Rush_
_Monticello； January 16； 1811_
DEAR SIR； I had been considering for some days； whether it
was not time by a letter； to bring myself to your recollection； when
I received your welcome favor of the 2d instant。 I had before heard
of the heart…rending calamity you mention； and had sincerely
sympathized with your afflictions。 But I had not made it the subject
of a letter； because I knew that condolences were but renewals of
grief。 Yet I thought； and still think； this is one of the cases
wherein we should 〃not sorrow； even as others who have no hope。〃 I
have myself known so many cases of recovery from confirmed insanity；
as to reckon it ever among the recoverable diseases。 One of them was
that of a near relative and namesake of mine； who； after many years
of madness of the first degree； became entirely sane； and amused
himself to a good old age in keeping school； was an excellent teacher
and much valued citizen。
You ask if I have read Hartley？ I have not。 My present course
of life admits less reading than I wish。 From breakfast； or noon at
latest； to dinner； I am mostly on horseback； attending to my farm or
other concerns； which I find healthful to my body； mind and affairs；
and the few hours I can pass in my cabinet； are devoured by
correspondences； not those with my intimate friends； with whom I
delight to interchange sentiments； but with others； who； writing to
me on concerns of their own in which I have had an agency； or from
motives of mere respect and approbation； are entitled to be answered
with respect and a return of good will。 My hope is that this
obstacle to the delights of retirement； will wear away with the
oblivion which follows that； and that I may at length be indulged in
those studious pursuits； from which nothing but revolutionary duties
would ever have called me。
I shall receive your proposed publication and read it with the
pleasure which everything gives me from your pen。 Although much of a
sceptic in the practice of medicine； I read with pleasure its
ingenious theories。
I receive with sensibility your observations on the
discontinuance of friendly correspondence between Mr。 Adams and
myself； and the concern you take in its restoration。 This
discontinuance has not proceeded from me； nor from the want of
sincere desire and of effort on my part； to renew our intercourse。
You know the perfect coincidence of principle and of action； in the
early part of the Revolution； which produced a high degree of mutual
respect and esteem between Mr。 Adams and myself。 Certainly no man
was ever truer than he was； in that day； to those principles of
rational republicanism which； after the necessity of throwing off our
monarchy； dictated all our efforts in the establishment of a new
government。 And although he swerved； afterwards； towards the
principles of the English constitution； our friendship did not abate
on that account。 While he was Vice President； and I Secretary of
State； I received a letter from President Washington； then at Mount
Vernon； desiring me to call together the Heads of departments； and to
invite Mr。 Adams to join us （which； by…the…bye； was the only instance
of that being done） in order to determine on some measure which
required despatch； and he desired me to act on it； as decided；
without again recurring to him。 I invited them to dine with me； and
after dinner； sitting at our wine； having settled our question； other
conversation came on； in which a collision of opinion arose between
Mr。 Adams and Colonel Hamilton； on the merits of the British
constitution； Mr。 Adams giving it as his opinion； that； if some of
its defects and abuses were corrected； it would be the most perfect
constitution of government ever devised by man。 Hamilton； on the
contrary； asserted； that with its existing vices； it was the most
perfect model of government that could be formed； and that the
correction of its vices would render it an impracticable government。
And this you may be assured was the real line of difference between
the political principles of these two gentlemen。 Another incident
took place on the same occasion； which will further delineate Mr。
Hamilton's political principles。 The room being hung around with a
collection of the portraits of remarkable men； among them were those
of Bacon； Newton and Locke； Hamilton asked me who they were。 I told
him they were my trinity of the three greatest men the world had ever
produced； naming them。 He paused for some time： 〃the greatest man；〃
said he； 〃that ever lived； was Julius Caesar。〃 Mr。 Adams was honest
as a politician； as well as a man； Hamilton honest as a man； but； as
a politician； believing in the necessity of either force or
corruption to govern men。
You remember the machinery which the federalists played off；
about that time； to beat down the friends to the real principles of
our constitution； to silence by terror every expression in their
favor； to bring us into war with France and alliance with England；
and finally to homologize our constitution with that of England。 Mr。
Adams； you know； was overwhelmed with feverish addresses； dictated by
the fear； and often by the pen； of the _bloody buoy_； and was seduced
by them into some open indications of his new principles of
government； and in fact； was so elated as to mix with his kindness a
little superciliousness towards me。 Even Mrs。 Adams； with all her
good sense and prudence； was sensibly flushed。 And you recollect the
short suspension of our intercourse； and the circumstance which gave
rise to it； which you were so good as to bring to an early
explanation； and have set to rights； to the cordial satisfaction of
us all。 The nation at length passed condemnation on the political
principles of the federalists； by refusing to continue Mr。 Adams in
the Presidency。 On the day on which we learned in Philadelphia the
vote of the city of New York； which it was well known would decide
the vote of the State； and that； again； the vote of the Union； I
called on Mr。 Adams on some official business。 He was very sensibly
affected； and accosted me with these words： 〃Well； I understand that
you are to beat me in this contest； and I will only say that I will
be as faithful a subject as any you will have。〃 〃Mr。 Adams；〃 said I；
〃this is no personal contest between you and me。 Two systems of
principles on the subject of government divide our fellow citizens
into two parties。 With one of these you concur； and I with the
other。 As we have been longer on the public stage than most of those
now living； our names happen to be more generally known。 One of
these parties； therefore； has put your name at its head； the other
mine。 Were we both to die to…day； to…morrow two other names would be
in the place of ours； without any change in the motion of the
machiner