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Had a declaration... Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, 3 July 1776 (page 1 of 3)

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John Adams. Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, 3 July 1776, "Had a Declaration..." Original manuscript from the Adams Family Papers, Massachusetts Historical Society.

Date created
July 3, 1776
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Copyright unknown.
Source
Original image housed by Massachusetts Historical Society

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First page of letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, July 3, 1776.

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First page of three-page letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, July 3, 1776. The page reads:

Philadelphia, July 3d. 1776

Had a Declaration of Independency been made seven Months ago, it would have been attended with many great and glorious Effects.…We might before this Hour, have formed Alliances with foreign States. — We should have mastered Quebec and been in Possession of Canada… You will perhaps wonder, how such a Declaration would have influenced our Affairs, in Canada, but if I could write with Freedom I could easily convince you, that it would, and explain to you the manner how. — Many Gentlemen in high Stations and of great Influence have been duped, by the ministerial Bubble of Commissioners to treat… And in real, sincere Expectation of this effort Event, which they so fondly wished, they have been slow and languid, in promoting Measures for the Reduction of that Province. Others there are in the Colonies who really wished that our Enterprise in Canada would be defeated, that the Colonies might be brought into Danger and Distress between two Fires, and be thus induced to submit. Others really wished to defeat the Expedition to Canada, lest the Conquest of it, should elevate the Minds of the People too much to hearken to those Terms of Reconciliation which they believed would be offered Us. These jarring Views, Wishes and Designs, occasioned an opposition to many salutary Measures, which were proposed for the Support of that Expedition, and caused Obstructions, Embarrassments and studied Delays, which have finally, lost Us the Province.

This letter continues on a second page.

A previous letter is also available.