John Adams

Dear Sir,

As the letter writers say, a new year has commenced, and brings with it a hope that it may be more auspicious to our beloved country than the preceding one has been. I believe I may with truth say, that no one has felt more sincere pleasure than myself at every instance of success which has attended your arms and your councils, in the present arduous struggle for the rights of our common country.

I have never ceased to regard you with sentiments of sincere esteem; and I now renew to you the assurances of my unabated confidence in your integrity, honor, and patriotism. That any differences of opinion on speculative points of philosophy, or even on questions of public policy, should have interrupted or impaired the friendship which had subsisted between us, appears to me to have been as unnecessary as it was unfortunate.

You and I ought not to die, before we have explained ourselves to each other. I have always loved and esteemed you, and shall continue to do so, whatever our political differences have been, or may be. These have proceeded from honest conviction on both sides; and I persuade myself that time and reflection have convinced us both, that we have differed more in words than in substance.

The few traces that remain of our early friendship are very dear to me; and I hope that what is left of life to both of us may be employed in restoring and cementing that affectionate intercourse, which formerly subsisted between us, and which, I trust, may yet contribute to the happiness of our declining years.

I wish you, my dear sir, a year of health, of happiness, of honor, and of prosperity; and that your life may be long continued, a blessing to your country and to mankind. With these wishes, and with assurances of my affectionate regard, I conclude this letter, which I hope will be acceptable to you, as an evidence of my desire to renew our correspondence and friendship.

I enclose two pieces of homespun lately produced in this quarter, by one who was honored in his youth with some of your attention and much of your kindness. Mr. J. Q. Adams. One is a lecture on rhetoric, delivered at Harvard College; the other a letter to Mr. Otis. If you read them, I hope you will find them worthy of some of your notice. At least, I hope they will do no dishonor to your early attention to the writer.

I am, dear Sir, your friend and servant,

John Adams

P.S. - I trust that we shall both live to see our country blessed with peace, and that our correspondence may be renewed with all the cordiality that marked its commencement, more than thirty years ago.