Description:

John Quincy Adams
Washington, DC, August 28, 1826
John Quincy Adams Honors John Adams and Jefferson Just Weeks after their Death on July 4, 1826 Signed Copyright Claim for D. Webster's Eulogy
Archive

A signed copyright claim document by President John Quincy Adams, relating to a book about his father and Thomas Jefferson, together with a handwritten manuscript of extracts from the book. The copyright registration document is 1p, measuring 7.5" x 9.25" (sight), matted and framed to the overall size of 11.5" x 13.25". Washington, D.C., dated August 28, 1826. Signed "John Quincy Adams". No. 62, it states that "Cummings, Hilliard & Company…deposited in the office of the Department of State a certain Book consisting of 62 pages entitled A Discourse in Commemoration of the lives and services of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, delivered in Faneuil Hall, Boston, Augt. 2, 1826 by Daniel Webster." With a white paper seal at the lower left corner. The document has flattened folds. There is a large tear at the lower left margin with smaller tears at the left side. Paper loss at the upper right corner. Light toning and foxing throughout. Boldly signed, together with a modern copy of the book, published by Forgotten Books, 2018.

Accompanying the document is an autograph manuscript, written in an unknown hand, with 22pp of extracts from the above book and other speeches. The pages have been tied together with a string at the top edge. With flattened folds and uneven edges. Some clipped text where the edges were cut off. Light toning and soiling throughout. Overall very good.

Highlights from the extracts include:
Extract from A Discourse in Commemoration of the lives and services of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, delivered in Faneuil Hall, Boston, Augt. 2, 1826 by Daniel Webster: "If we fail, it can be no worse for us. But we shall not fail. The cause will raise up armies; the cause will create navies. The people, the people, if we are true to them, will carry us, and will carry themselves, gloriously, through this struggle. I care not how fickle other people have been found. I know the people of these colonies, and I know that resistance to British aggression is deep and settled in their hearts and cannot be eradicated. Every colony, indeed, has expressed its willingness to follow, if we but take the lead. Sir, the declaration will inspire the people with increased courage. Instead of a long and bloody war for restoration of privileges, for redress of grievances, for chartered immunities, held under a British king, set before them the glorious object of entire independence, and it will breathe into them anew the breath of life…"

Extract to the survivors of the battle of Bunker Hill and of the Revolutionary Army [17 of June 1825 D. Webster]: "…The ground strewed with the dead and the dying the impetuous charge the steady and successful repulse the loud call to repeated assault the summoning of all that is manly to repeated resistance. A thousand bosoms freely and fearlessly bared in an instant to whatever of terror there may be in war and death. All these years have witnessed but you witness them no more. All is peace…Veterans you are the remnants of many a well fought field. You bring with you marks of honor from Trenton and Monmouth, from Yorktown, Camden, Bennington, and Saratoga. Veterans of half a century when in your youthful days you put everything at hazard in your country's cause good as that cause was and sanguine as youth is still your fondest hopes did not stretch onward to an hour like this…"

Extract from a speech of Patrick Henry in the convention of Delegates of Virginia in support of his resolution from putting the colony in to state of defense and for arming and disciplining a number of men sufficient for that purpose, 23d March 1775 [Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death]: "…I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House…Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation; the last arguments to which kings resort…They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging. And what have we to oppose to them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves. Sir, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne…"

The copyright document was issued just weeks after the deaths of both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson on America's 50th birthday, July 4, 1826. In the weeks of national mourning that followed, Boston paid tribute by choosing Daniel Webster to deliver a eulogy on August 2nd, in Faneuil Hall. Webster had personally known both statesmen and delivered a powerful, two-hour eulogy. Adams' son, John Quincy Adams, was under no legal obligation to sign this copyright claim, yet chose to do so personally, underscoring the deep personal and national significance of Webster's work.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: Document: 7 1/2 x 9 1/4 in. (19.1 x 23.5 cm.), Frame: 11 1/2 x 13 1/4 in. (29.2 x 33.7 cm.)
  • Artist Name: John Quincy Adams
  • Medium: Archive

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