Here is a little part of why he wrote her. Link is provided. Remember one thing. What they wrote was considered treason against the King. What they wrote just the day before he sent her this would lead to their deaths if America lost ..... John Adams wrote: But the Day is past. The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America.—I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with4 Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.5
You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not.—I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States.—Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing6 Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even7 altho We should rue8 it, which I trust in God We shall not.
So we should be celebrating July 2nd? Is this another instance of the Powers That Be sabotaging the calendar?
I believe it was written on July 2nd but wasn't adopted until July 4th. He wrote that letter to his wife on the day between the two.
Right but he tells us specifically that July 2nd should be the day celebrated
I was thinking about that. At the time nothing was signed so for him the 2nd was the big day. Now we can see it was not when it was written that was important. it was when it was adopted that was important.
It sounds like he was very excited to have put together a document that had the potential to change the world. It really is amazing to think about what these guys put on the line for everybody else. Now we have patriots complaining that things are not happening fast enough. They were real men.
And without John Adams pushing Congress to get off their duffs and do something, we may never have had a Declaration of Independence. One of my top three fave movies of all time is 1776, a musical that tells the whole story. I highly recommend it! ??????
I believe it was read publicly on July 4th