The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-11-21
PROPOSALS BY LITTLE & BROWN
FOR PUBLISHING BY SUBSCRIPTIONS
THE LIFE AND WORKS OF JOHN ADAMS
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THE LIFE AND WORKS OF JOHN ADAMS,
Second President Of the United States.
EDITED BY HIS GRANDSON, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.
TNHE public will be glad to learn that the publica
Il ton OF the works of JOHN ADAMS, so long de-
laycd, will now be commenced so soon an ade-
quate subscription shall have been obtained 1t is
intended to embrace in the proposed collection the
works of Mr.. Adams on Government, already pub
lished, but now out of print, and selection from
most voluminous mass of manuscripts which have
never seen the light.
The collection is to be made and edited by the
Hon. Charles Francis Adams, the depository of all
the manuscripts well of John Adams Of his
father the late John Quincy Adams, and is intended
as the first Of two great publications. Calculating
the history of the rise and progress of these United
States, from the year l76l, in which the revolution
airy struggle first began, down to the year lS4S,
when the younger Adams died.
The materials for the first of the two works are
much more ample than has generally been sup
posed. John Adams, during nearly all his life,
scrupulously preserved his papers, and among
them found many of curious and singularly
interesting character. Probably the most remark
able, at least in the eyes of the world will prove to
be Diary, commenced by him early as 1855,
carried on for thirty years, including the largest
found To contain great amount of valuable matter
connected with the early movements Of the Revou-
ton in Massachusetts,, and to throw good deal OF
new light upon the proceedings of the great Con
crosses Of l774 IT'S, and l776 at Philadelphia, in
which the writer was a conspicuous actor There
also notes of the debates during portion of that
period, which, in the dearth OF all knowledge OF
them, will be highly valuable to posterity.
1t is well known that intention was long en-
tertained by the younger Mr.. Adams to write a
memoir of his father. This, although not entirely
executed, commenced. A most interesting
fragment remains in a perfect state, and will be
prcfxed TO the present publication. The unexe-
cuted portion will be carried ON by the editor aided
by the discovery Of an photographed fragment
of John Adams himself, which will be woven into
the body of his work.
The great difficulty will be in the abundance of
the materials to be gathered out of correspondence
carried on for half century, as well as out of UNI
published treatises of various kinds rather to bring
them all within reasonable limits for purchasers,
than to short of what will interest the students
of the national history
1t is proposed to issue the work in ten octave vol
umes. These will include the Essay on the Canon
and Feudal Laws, the Defence of the American
Constitution, the various editions of which have
been long since exhausted, and the Discourscs
Davila; to all of which illustrations, drawn from
the unpublished writings of Mr.. Adams, or sup
piled by the editor from other sources, will be
added.
Such selections will be made from the Diary, and
from the private papers, az may be considered most
likely to promote better acquaintance with the
times in which Mr. Adams lived and acted than is
yet possessed, even after all the valuable contribu-
tons which have already been furnished from
other quarters. On the whole, the publishers
idcntly believe that there is work relating to
the revolutionary history of the United States and
indeed of the times in which Mr.. Adams lived, that
surpasses In historical ana pontlcal value the vol
umcs now offered TO the patronage Of the Amcri-
can people. And they strongly hope that they
shall find themselves well sustained in this great
enterprise TO be encouraged TO go and perfect
the other and latter part of it, the Life and Works
of the no less distinguished son, John Quincy
Adams.
The works will be brought out from time to time,
commencing during the autumn of lS49, and com
pleted within reasonable period, consistently
with proper attention to the high character dc
signed 10 be given them and in the following order
i. Works upon Government.
,. Political papers, including Controversial Pub
locations Of the Revolution.
3. Messages and Public Papers
4. Diary.
8. Private Letters Public Subjects IVA TO 1901.
6. Private Letters from 1855 TO 1876.
7. Life, by John Quincy Adams, continued by
the editor
5. Original unpublished Letters of Franklin,
Jay, jefferson, the Lees, Laurens, Gerry,
Dana, Izard and other eminent patriots of
the Revolution.
The work will be beautifully printed, in ten vol
umes, in the octave form, each volume containing
from 500 to GOO pages, and put up in cloth, at the
price of 50 % a volume.
limited number of copies will be struck off on
large paper, and put up in the same style of bind
ing, price 50 volume.
Subscriptions and orders arc respectfully solicit
ed by the proprctors. LITTLE & BROWN,
Aug. 29-3tawtf ll2 Washington ST., Boston