Papers of John Adams, volume 19
a.
I received by Dr White the Letter you did me the honour of writing to me the 27th of January, together with two Copies of your Defence of the American Constitutions, one for myself for which I beg you would accept my Thanks, the other for the Philosophical Society, whose Secretary will of course officially acknowledge the Obligation.1 That Work is in such Request here, that it is already put to Press, and a numerous Edition will speedily be abroad.2
My Son Beach and my Grandson3 are much flatter’d by your Remembrance of them, & join in presenting their Respects. Be pleased
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to offer mine to Mrs. Adams and your amiable Daughter. With great Esteem, I have the honour to be, / Sir, / Your most obedient / & most humble Servant
I shall write soon to Mr Dilly. My Compts. to Col. Smith4
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “His Excellency / John Adams Esqr.”
See vol. 18:563. On 18 May the society, with Franklin presiding, acknowledged having received a copy of JA’s
Defence of the Const.
(Early Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society for the Promotion of Useful Knowledge, Compiled by One of the Secretaries, from the Manuscript Minutes of Its Meetings from 1744 to 1838, Phila., 1884, p. 147, 151).
A Philadelphia edition of the Defence was printed by Hall & Sellers. Bound books were sold for seven shillings and copies “in blue covers” cost six (Pennsylvania Gazette, 30 May).
Benjamin Franklin Bache and William Temple Franklin (vol. 18:563).
The postscript was written vertically in the left margin.