Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-11-15
HISTORY.
RON rHE BALTIMORE PATRIOT.

BALTIMORE PATRIOT.
The IMPORTANCE OF ATTENTIoE TO THE MINUTE
DETAILS OF HIsToRY have been favored with
a copy of the following letter from Mr. Adams to
citizen Of Baltimore, and lay il before the public for
the purpose of impressing on the minds Of all stu
dents the importance ATTENDING to the minutest
details Of history. There are thousands of little
events, floating like grains of dust in the worlds po-
lical atmosphere, which at length to be gather
ed together and produce the most portentous results
These specks may be disregarded at the moment !;
but the careful historian of after days has TO trace
back the stream of time until he encounters the e-
gendary atom that may have caused the downfall Of
hero and the overthrow Of empires, HISTORICAL
SOCIETIES in every State Of our Union should be
the careful gatherers Of these neglected grains Of
national story, and the result of their useful abors
will be hereafter made manifest in the superior
curacy with which our country's history shall be
written:
QUINcY, OcToBER 30, 1s45.
To BRASTz MArER, Esq, Baltimore
Dean SIR have TO return to you my warmest thanks
for letter Of the 24h instant and for the Journal Of
Charles Carroll Of Carroton, during his visit Canada in
l776 one Of the. Commissioners from Congress" This
document and the Introductory Memoir published with it,
will furnish precious contribution the future historian Of
our Revolution and War Of Independence as the name of
Carroll will shine among the brightest of the founders Of
Federative Republican Empire.
pleasing perceive the growing interest taken by the
rising the collection and of the his
orica details of the Revolutionary conflict Of our Fathers
The institution Of Historical Societies in many States
Union promises to poster pledge contradictory
of the misanthopc declaration of Sir Robert Wapoe that all
history is and be false II indeed, conormable to
oil experience that the history Of periods and of events preg
with consequences affecting the condition of the human
race be but imperecty known to the actors and
tempoares Of them. There is French work entitled the
History Of Great Events from Little Causes and there
haps very few of the great events in the history of mankind
to which little causes have not largely contributed think it
is remark Of Votare that posfy is always for de-
tails and among the incidents Of that CONFUSION Of the am
ly Of civilized man, which began with the ws of assistants
and the stamp and ended in the foundation Of the proud
empire that the world has knownthe relations Of
the colonies England swelling into sovereign States with the
conquered colony Of France Intellectually sought to be united
with them in the struggle for freedom and independence
there Of detail widely different from those which
operated the that they will require the keenes per-
cepon and the prooundest meditation Of the future phoso
phcal historian assign to them their proper station and
weight elements in the composition Of the complicated and
wondrous tale. The Journal Of Mr. Carroll will be among
the precious materials for the narrative of that great
movement in human affairs and the Historical Society Of Ma
yand has rendered uncomfortable service the future
Of country by bringing forth publishing it to the
world.
am, with great respect dear sir your very humble
obedent servant, JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.