John Adams to inhabitants...of Bedford, Pa responding to a speech on unity - American History 1493-1945 - Adam Matthew Digital

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Field name	Value
Collection Reference Number	GLC02793.007
From Archive Folder	The Personal side of the Presidency: 32 letters and documents
Title	John Adams to inhabitants...of Bedford, Pa responding to a speech on unity
Date	21 June 1798
Author	Adams, John (1735-1826)
Additional authors	Bingham, William (1752-1804)
Document Type	Correspondence
Content Description	Signed as President, acknowledging receipt of their call for unity and noting that "Unanimity in all things is never to be expected." Also includes a letter from William Bingham.
Subjects	Quasi-war Global History and Civics France President Military History Government and Civics
People	Bingham, William (1752-1804) Adams, John (1735-1826)
Place written	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Theme	The Presidency; Government & Politics
Sub-collection	The Gilder Lehrman Collection, 1493-1859
Copyright	The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Module	Settlement, Commerce, Revolution and Reform: 1493-1859
Transcript	Show/hide To the Inhabitants of the Borough and County of Bedford in Pennsylvania- Gentlemen Your address to the President, Senate, and House of Representatives of the United States, has been presented to me, by one of your Senators in Congress Mr. Bingham- I beleive [sic], there never were, three men, together, if there were two, who did not find, some difference of Sentiment, to prevail among them, on various subjects-Unanimity in all things is never to be expected; yet when the essential happiness of a people, when the Independence of a Nation is at stake, any irreconcileable difference of opinion is the infallible proof of a corruption that must produce ruin-this I will confidently affirm is not the melancholy situation of America-all inferior considerations, will be laid aside, and we shall be, and we are united, in one opinion and sentiment, in the great cause of our Country, at least so far, as to render all dissentients impotent. Your Government is your own- If you cannot select persons in whom you can confide, who can? where [2] where will you look? to foreign Governments, Generals or ambassadors? no; let us trust in the direction of the Supreme Being and unite as a Band of Brothers- John Adams Philad: June 21st 98-

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