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just uncovered a cool John Adams quote

Started by Bullet, December 29, 2012, 10:00:06 PM

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Bullet

I was reading through some of the correspondence of John & Abigail Adams and came across this little gem:

"Does not natural Morality, and much more Christian Benevolence, make it our indispensible Duty to lay ourselves out, to serve our fellow Creatures to the Utmost of our Power, in promoting and supporting those great Political systems, and general Regulations upon which the Happiness of Multitudes depends. The Benevolence, Charity, Capacity and Industry which exerted in private Life, would make a family, a Parish or a Town Happy, employed upon a larger Scale, in Support of the great Principles of Virtue and Freedom of political Regulations might secure whole Nations and Generations from Misery, Want and Contempt. Public Virtues, and political Qualities therefore should be incessantly cherished in our Children."

-John Adams to Abigail Adams, October 29, 1775

Hope that's an encouragement to all you parents who work so hard not only for your country but also for your kids. It's an important work you are doing - right there in your family!
"Men do less than they ought unless they do all that they can." --Thomas Carlyle

"But we are not called to lives of prestige; we are called to lives of faithfulness. And sometimes faithfulness is just mundane and daily and ordinary and one foot in front of the other." --N. Adams

Edheler

Quote from: Bullet on December 29, 2012, 10:00:06 PM
I was reading through some of the correspondence of John & Abigail Adams and came across this little gem:

"Does not natural Morality, and much more Christian Benevolence, make it our indispensible Duty to lay ourselves out, to serve our fellow Creatures to the Utmost of our Power, in promoting and supporting those great Political systems, and general Regulations upon which the Happiness of Multitudes depends. The Benevolence, Charity, Capacity and Industry which exerted in private Life, would make a family, a Parish or a Town Happy, employed upon a larger Scale, in Support of the great Principles of Virtue and Freedom of political Regulations might secure whole Nations and Generations from Misery, Want and Contempt. Public Virtues, and political Qualities therefore should be incessantly cherished in our Children."

-John Adams to Abigail Adams, October 29, 1775

Hope that's an encouragement to all you parents who work so hard not only for your country but also for your kids. It's an important work you are doing - right there in your family!

I do not find this quote to be of any particular value. It clearly comes from the same intellectual position as someone whom could support the Alien and Sedition Acts. It is a sad, sad part of John Adams legacy. He clearly advocates subduing a portion of the population via "Political systems or general Regulations," if necessary to achieve his desired goal. I wish that John Adams had lived up to his early support of Liberty but sadly he did not.

Bullet

Edheler, thanks for chiming in and making sure I'm thinking about the quotations I use. I do appreciate it.

My point in posting it was not to condone a heavily-regulated government, but to commend those who are trying to raise kids who will end up being wise civic leaders. We surely need those, don't we?!

As you pointed out, though, those "virtues and qualities" we seek to "incessantly cherish in our children" must be coupled with true principles of liberty in order for the next generation to be fit to lead our country.

Thanks! =)
"Men do less than they ought unless they do all that they can." --Thomas Carlyle

"But we are not called to lives of prestige; we are called to lives of faithfulness. And sometimes faithfulness is just mundane and daily and ordinary and one foot in front of the other." --N. Adams

Edheler

There are large segments of this quote which I think are excellent ideals. I just don't find the overall packaging of them in this particular quote to be terribly effective given his later history. I guess I am more than a bit picky about the quotes I use. I am not entirely sure if my "later idealistic phase" is a good or bad thing yet. ;)

I never had a single thought that I had any difficulty with your intentions. I certainly commend anyone who is trying to raise children who honor the values of liberty in our modern world.