(JOHN ADAMS)

(JOHN ADAMS)

(1735 - 1826) Second President of the United States and a drafter of the Declaration of Independence, which he also signed. He later joined Franklin and Jay to negotiate peace with Great Britain. JOHN ADAMS DRAFTS COMMERCIAL PEACE PROPOSALS DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR Important handwritten document (unsigned), 1p. 8vo., [n.p., n.d, likely 1780], which Adams pens his thoughts on various peace proposals while serving as the American Commissioner to France. In part: "Repeal all the acts concerning America from Charter...Make a new act of navigation. We are fostering a power in the north that will one day be our bane...Keep New York to send goods...The trades will petition Congress to repeal the late restraining law against corresponding. Stop that fool Rivington in New York...Attempt no more hostilities nor restrain the individuals of both sides...they speak the same language & will naturally fall into their old habits..." He also adds "Seven Years War" to the top-right corner. As an attempt to save paper, Adams has written these annotations on the verso of a partial section of a handwritten letter, previously sent to him by a representative of the "London Courant". This letter, sent from Picadilly and dated 1880, encourages Adams to advertise in their paper, reading in part: "...observing that you advertise occasionally in the London Papers, I beg leave to inform you, that the daily sale of the London Courant is equal to several & greater than many of them..." The cut document has been tipped to an 8 x 6 in. piece of cardstock. Slight chip at bottom beneath a small stain, else very good condition. JAMES RIVINGTON (1724�1803) was an English-born American journalist who published the loyalist newspaper "Rivington's Gazette". He was very likely a member of the Culper Spy Ring, which provided the Continental Army with military intelligence from British-occupied New York. Rivington offended his readers by the false statements that appeared in his paper, which was called "The Lying Gazette", and which was even censured by the Royalists. Adams had been appointed as the sole minister charged with negotiations to establish a commercial treaty with Britain in late 1779.