Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826. The Jeffersonian Cyclopedia
Thomas Jefferson Collection
Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library

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59. ADAMS (John), Attacks on. —

With respect to the calumnies and falsehoods which writers and printers at large published against Mr. Adams, I was as far from stooping to any concern or approbation of them, as Mr. Adams was respecting those of “Porcupine,” Fenno, or Russell, who published volumes against me for every sentence vended by their opponents against Mr. Adams. But I never supposed Mr. Adams had any participation in the atrocities of these editors, or their writers. I knew myself incapable of that base warfare, and believed him to be so. On the contrary, whatever I may have thought of the acts of the administration of that day, I have ever borne testimony to Mr. Adams's personal worth; nor was it ever impeached in my presence, without a just vindication of it on my part. I never supposed that any person who knew either of us, could believe that either of us


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[Col 1] meddled in that dirty work. —
TITLE: To Mrs. John Adams.
EDITION: Washington ed. iv, 555.
EDITION: Ford ed., viii, 309.
PLACE: Washington
DATE: July. 1804