Description:

JAMES SULLIVAN
(1744 - 1808) American Revolutionary, a member of the Massachusetts Committee of Safety who later pressed for adoption of the Constitution. Draft A.L. (unsigned) 2pp. legal folio, [Boston, n.d., c. 1797] docketed on verso "copy of a letter to President [John] Adams." Sullivan responds to a letter from Adams, noting that he was "...highly flattered by your expressions of approbation on my Book called the History of the District of Maine - I should not have imposed the task of that work myself with my other avocations if I would have procured any other suitable person to have undertaken it. I have attended to your remarks upon the paragraph in p. 299 I should be exceedingly grieved if anything escaped my pen which would give you the lease uneasiness: for in addition to the respect I have always had for your character I intended to write that book without deferring to the charges of taking part in any political side or of saying any thing which should have a tendency to injure the feelings of any gentleman in America. I must however confess that my recollection was on your volumes called the defence [sic] of the American Constitutions and that the idea...was drawn from your description of the fate of Marcellus [Manuta?] and some others which the want of health at present prevents my being particular in. Perhaps the expression...is too strong....nor do I lay anything to your charge more than...but this is mentioned expressly as a practice of other Nations and of former ages. We have not had time for the experiment here and I am fondly led to believe that the general [illeg.] of learning in our Country will prevent the effect...". Adams and Sullivan were long-time correspondents. Sullivan's History of the District of Maine was published in 1795. Weak at folds, marginal losses at top affect two lines of text, a few small holes, else very good.

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May 13, 2009 10:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

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