Sold at Christie’s, in 2005, realising $45’600:
ADAMS PONDERS THE PLACE OF HERALDRY IN A REPUBLICAN NATION "FOUNDED UPON THE NATIONAL EQUALITY OF MANKIND."
Quote:
Autograph Letter Signed ("John Quincy Adams") as Massachusetts Congressman, to J.A. Grace in Havana, Cuba; Quincy, [Mass.], 26 October 1841, integral address leaf with panel partially in his hand. 8 full pages, 4o (252 x 200 mm), early-nineteenth-century morocco boards, upper cover gilt-lettered: "Autograph of John Quincy Adams.—[With:] Two engraved armorial bookplates: one of John Adams (1735-1801), one of John Quincy Adams, each with note by the latter on verso. On the back of his father’s he has added the date 1786 and a quotation in Latin from Tacitus—[With:] GRACE, John A. Letter signed to J.Q. Adams, Havana, 8 December 1841. 3 pages, 4o, with an additional 9-page manuscript on the genealogy of the Adams-Quincy families. Provenance: John A. Grace (the recipient, engraved bookplate).
Letter was to John A. Grace?
Makes me wonder who John A. Grace was that John Adams wants to reason out his interest in geneology and heraldry to him.
Possibly a friend or family relation living in Havana, Cuba? (I googled a number of different search terms out of idle curiousity and nothing useful came up, hehe).
I know this reply is well over a year late, but I just thought this was so neat I would post something.
Also, this letter seems to have come from a rather large collection of early American correspondance. I wonder if all of this stuff has likely been microfiched (probably spelled that wrong) and/or recorded in archives or reference books.
JBGarrison;81033 wrote:
Letter was to John A. Grace?
Makes me wonder who John A. Grace was that John Adams wants to reason out his interest in geneology and heraldry to him.
Not sure if I’m reading it correctly, but the final paragraph from the handwritten manuscript shown on the Christie’s page states
John Quinch Adams wrote:
...If these remarks upon Mr Graces Letter to Mr Heard, and upon his memoranda respecting the families of Quincy and Adams should have to him a style of the interest which I have felt in them, they will serve as an acknowledgement of the pleasure which I have taken in the [penissat??]* of his researches and an assurance of the high gratification with which I welcome his claim of kindred blood and subscribe myself his loving cousin
John Quincy Adams
*Note. This word is perusal.
I was not able to make out the handwriting from the image myself, haha! Thanks for translating that Mr. Power!
I’ll try my hand at the top paragraph; then add the previously transcripted paragraph:
John Quincy Adams wrote:
...Great Britain, and to Treaties of Commerce with the United Netherlands and with Prussia and [?France?]* is also herewith enclosed. The Motto - "Fidem - Libertatem - Amicptiam - retinebis" was of his own selection, and is from Tacitus—I preferred the device, to the Adams arms, because I am not also totaly sure of the genealogy, and because, of his own illustration of his name there was no possible doubt.
If these remarks upon Mr Graces Letter to Mr Heard, and upon his memoranda respecting the families of Quincy and Adams should have to him a style of the interest which I have felt in them, they will serve as an acknowledgement of the pleasure which I have taken in the perusal of his researches and an assurance of the high gratification with which I welcome his claim of kindred blood and subscribe myself his loving cousin
John Quincy Adams
I cannot make out the word after Prussia and ... "France" makes sense; however, it looks less like the capital "F" used in the word Fidem. The capital letter is more in line with the capital "M" of Mr Grace that he writes in the second paragraph.
Cheers!
—Guy (with too much time on his hands)
*Note, edit: This word is Morocco (thanks to JB Garrison).
Yeah, that looks like an ‘M’ to me also, it almost looks like "Morocco?"
JBGarrison;81037 wrote:
Yeah, that looks like an ‘M’ to me also, it almost looks like "Morocco?"
Hi JB ... You’re spot on!! I looked it up:
Quote:
Morocco and the United States have a long history of friendly relations. During the American Revolution when the 13 Colonies were fighting against Great Britain, Morocco was one of the first states to acknowledge publicly the independence of the young Republic….
The American leaders did not acknowledge this friendly act until the end of 1780. They were slow to respond, because they did not learn of these declarations until almost a year after the last one was issued. Moreover, they were very preoccupied with the problems of fighting a difficult war against England and did not treat very seriously the Sultan’s offer, relayed to them in 1778, to negotiate a treaty of commerce. In December 1780, Congress did express to the Sultan its desire to sign a treaty with Morocco. No action, however, was taken until 1784, a year after the citizens of the United States concluded peace with Great Britain, when the impatient Moroccan leader prodded the United States into action by seizing one of its ships. Preparations for negotiations began in 1785, and the Treaty of Peace and Friendship was signed in June 1786. Ratified by the United States on July 18, 1787, this treaty marked the beginning of diplomatic relations between the two countries. It was the first treaty between any Arab, Muslim, or African state and the United States.
Regards,
—Guy
