The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-01-23
PROPOSALS BY LITTLE 4 brown

FOR PUBLISHING BY SUBSCRIPTION
THE LIFE AND WORKS OF JOHN ADAMS,
Second President qf the United States
EDITED ny MS GRANDSON, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.
JNHE public will be glad to learn that the pubca-
Il ton of the works of john ADAMS, SO long de-
layed, will now be commenced 50 soon az an ade-
quate subscription shall have been obtained. II Is
intended 10 embrace in the proposed collection the
works of MIR. Adams ON Government already pub
lished, but out of print, and selection from
most yoluminous mass Of manuscripts which have
never seen the light. seg
The collection is to be made and edited by the
Hon. Charles Francis Adams, the depostary Of all
the manuscripts well of John Adams as 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,
scrupulousy preserved his papers, and among
them are found many of curious and slngularly
interesting character. Probably the most remark
able, at least in the eyes Of the world will prove To
be Diary, commenced by him as carly as 1855,
and carried for thirty years. including the largest
portion OF his public career. This Diary will be
found TO contain great amount Of valuable matter
connected with the carly movements Of the Revolu-
ton in Massachusetts, and to throw good deal Of
new light upon the proceedings of the great Con
crosses Of l774 l775 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 an intention was long en-
tcrtaincd by the younger Mr.. Adams TO write a
memoir of his father. This, although not entirely
executed, was commenced. A most interesting
fragment remains in perfect state, and will be
prcfixed TO the present publication. The unexe-
cuted portion win 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, we'll out of UNI
published treatiscs of various kinds rather to bring
them all within reasonable limits for purchasers
thanto come short of what viii interest The students
1t is proposed 70 issue the work in ten octave vol
uInes. 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
Davia; to all of which illustrations, drawn from
| the unpublished writings Of Mr. Adams, sup
piled by the editor from other sources, will be
| added sa
Such selections will be made from the Diary, and
from the private papers, as may be considered most
! likely to promote better acquaintance with the
times in which Mr. Adams lived and acted than il
yet possessed even after all the valuable contribu-
| tons which have already been furnished from
othcf quarters. On the whole, the publishers con-
fsently believe that there is no work relating to
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 to 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 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 1S49, and COM
pleted within reasonable period, consistently
with proper attention TO the high character de
signed to be given to them, and in the ollowngorder
| 1. Works upon Government.
2. Political papers, including Controversial Pub
! locations OF the Revolution.
| 3. Messages and Public Papers.
| 4. Diary,
s. Private Letters on Public Subjects, l774 to 1901
| 6. Private Letters from 1856 to 1926.
| Z. Life, by John Quincy Adams, continued by
the editor.
| 8. Original unpublished Letters of Franklin,
| Jay, Jefferson, the Lees, Laurcns, 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 at the
| price of So rs a volume.
limited number of copies will be struck Off on
large paper, and put up in the style Of bind
ing, price So volume.
Subscriptions and orders arc respectfully solicit
ed by the proprietors. LITTLE BROWN,
Aug. 29-3tawtf ll2 Washington ST., Boston.
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