The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-09-26
PROPOSALS BY LITTLE & BROWN
FoR PUBLISHING BY SUBSCRIPTION
THE LIFE AND WORKS OF JOHN ADAMS

PUBLISHING BY SUBSCRIPTIONS
THE LIFE AND WORKS OF JOHN ADAMS
Second President Of the United States
EDITED BY HIS GRANDSON, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.
TIME public will be glad to learn that The publica-
II ton of the works of JOHN ADAMS, so long de-
layed, will now be commenced SO soon as an ade-
quate subscription shall have been obtained IL Is
intended To embrace in the proposed collection the
works of Mr.. Adams on Government, already pub
shed, but now out of print, and selection from a
most voluminous mass of manuscripts which have
never the light.
The collection is TO be made and edited by the
Hon. Charles Francis Adams, the depositary OF all
the manuscripts well of John Adams as Of his
father the late John Quincy Adams, and is intended
the first of two great publications, eucidatng
the history OF the rise and progress OF these oneu
States, from the year l16l in which the reNouton
AIRY struggle first began, down TO the year loio'
when the younger Adams died.
The materials for the first of the two works are
much more ample than has generally De en sup
posed. John Adams, during nearly all us ilie,
scrupulously preserved his papers, ana among
them found many of curious and slhgulariy
interesting character. Probably the mos. remark
able, al least IN the eyes OF the world WIN prove 10
be Diary, commenced by him as early as ll55,
and carried on for thirty years including the largest
portion of his public career. THIS Diary VIII De
found 10 contain great amount OF valuable matter
connected with the carly movements OF the Reyolu.
uon in Massachusetts, and 10 throw good deal of
new light upon the proceedings of the great Con
crosses Of l774, IT'S, and l7T6, at Philadelphia, in
which the writer was conspicuous actor. There
are also of the debates during portion OF that
period, which, in the dearth OF all knowledge OF
them, will be highly valuable to posterity.
Ii is well known that an intention long en-
tertained by the younger Mr.. Adams 10 write a
memoir of his father. This, although not entirely
executed, commenced. A most interesting
fragment remains in perfect state, and will be
pretxe6 to the present publication. The unexe-
cuted portion will be carried by the editor aided
by the discovery of an photographed fragment
Ial, INT.
the body OF his work.
The great difficulty will be in the abundance Of
the materials TO be gathered out OF correspondence
carried for half century, as well as out OF I'M
published treatises of various kinds rather 10 bring
them all within reasonable limits for purchasers,
than TO come short of what will interest the students
of the national history.
1t is proposed to issue the work in ten 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 Discourses on
Dayila; 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, as may be considered most
likely to promote a better acquaintance with the
times in which MIR. Adams lived and acted than Is
vet possessed, aftersa the valuable contrlbu-
tons which have already been furnished from
other quarters. On the whole, the publishers con-
the revolutionary history of the United States, and
indeed of the times in which Mr. Adams lived that
surpasses in historical and political value the vol
umes now offered 10 the patronage OF the Ameri-
can people. And they strongly hope that they
shall find themselves well sustained in this great
enterprise TO be encouraged TO go on 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 10 time
commencing during the autumn Of lS49, and COM
pleted within a reasonable period, consistently
with proper attention TO the high character de
signed TO be given to them, and in the following
order:
l. Works upon Government
3 Political papers, including Controversial Pub
locations Of the Revolution.
3. Messages and Public Papers.
4. Diary
5. Private Letters on Public Subjects, IVA to
1901.
8. Private Letters from l156 TO 1926.
I. Life, by John Quincy Adams, continued by
the editor
5. Original unpublished Letters of Franklin,
Jay, Jefferson, the Lees, Laurens, Gerry,
Dana, lizard, 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 600 pages, and put up in cloth, the
price of 50 25 volume.
A limited number Of copies will be struck of on
large paper, and put up in the same style OF bind
ing price SO volume.
Subscriptions and orders are respectfully solicit
ed by the proprietors.
Aug. 29-3tawtf ll2 Washington ST., Boston.