AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED (ALS)

Washington, 29 March 1830. Letter. Some splitting along the fold. Fine. A three-page AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED (ALS) by Adams on one large sheet of paper folded to 7-7/8" x 9-3/4" to the editor of the AMERICAN ANNUAL REGISTER, Joseph Blunt, sending corrections to his important and lengthy unsigned article dealing with the Russo-Turkish War and Greece. In this article Adams contrasts Christianity with Islam to the advantage of Christianity. Here is an example from the article not from the letter: "In the seventh century of the Christian era, a wandering Arab of the lineage of Hagar [i.e., Muhammad], the Egyptian, combining the powers of transcendent genius, with the preternatural energy of a fanatic, and the fraudulent spirit of an impostor, proclaimed himself as a messenger from Heaven, and spread desolation and delusion over an extensive portion of the earth. Adopting from the sublime conception of the Mosaic law, the doctrine of one omnipotent God; he connected indissolubly with it, the audacious falsehood, that he was himself his prophet and apostle. Adopting from the new Revelation of Jesus, the faith and hope of immortal life, and of future retribution, he humbled it to the dust by adapting all the rewards and sanctions of his religion to the gratification of the sexual passion. He poisoned the sources of human felicity at the fountain, by degrading the condition of the female sex, and the allowance of polygamy; and he declared undistinguishing and exterminating war, as a part of his religion, against all the rest of mankind. THE ESSENCE OF HIS DOCTRINE WAS VIOLENCE AND LUST: TO EXALT THE BRUTAL OVER THE SPIRITUAL PART OF HUMAN NATURE (Adams's capital letters). Between these two religions, thus contrasted in their characters, a war of twelve hundred years has already raged. That war is yet flagrant; nor can it cease but by the extinction of that imposture, which has been permitted by Providence to prolong the degeneracy of man. While the merciless and dissolute dogmas of the false prophet shall furnish motives to human action, there can never be peace upon earth, and good will towards men. The hand of Ishmael will be against every man, and every man's hand against him." The letter includes a long list of corrections, mostly word changes and deletions or additions. At the end of the list Adams says of Robert Walsh, editor of THE NATIONAL GAZETTE who had also written on the Russo-Turkish War: "I have no desire to compliment or to propitiate Mr. Walsh but most assured by the Article upon the former Wars between Russia and Turkey, in the 13th number of his Review was not written by him, and to any one who will take any interest in my six chapters, it is as good as if it was an intended preliminary to them. I think still whether it pleases Walsh or not, the note would promote teh circulation of your own book but I leave this matter entirely to your own judgment." Accompanied by a silk memorial ribbon for Adams.

The first child of a president to become a president, the first president to be a published poet, and the first president to be photographed, Adams was certainly one of our most intelligent presidents and one of the greatest humanitarians to hold that office. He is perhaps best known for two accomplishments outside his term: the authorship of the Monroe Doctrine as secretary of state and his heroic, successful argument before the Supreme Court to free the Amistad slaves.