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JOHN QUINCY ADAMS Signed Superb Autograph Letter, Freemason and Masonic Content
Currency:USD
Category:Collectibles / Autographs
Start Price:7,000.00 USD
Estimated At:8,000.00 - 10,000.00 USD
SOLD
7,000.00USD+ buyer's premium + applicable fees & taxes.
This item SOLD at 2017 Apr 29 @ 09:03UTC-7 : PDT/MST
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Autographs
Superb John Quincy Adams Autograph Letter Signed Outstanding Content Freemason and Masonic Content
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS (1767-1848). 6th President of the United States (1825-29), James Monroe's Secretary of State, largely devising the “Monroe Doctrine” and in later years one of the earliest Anti-Slavery Leaders.
December 8, 1832-Dated, Superb Content Autograph Letter Signed, “J. Q. Adams” as Representative from Massachusetts, measuring 8” x 9.75”, 4 pages, at Washington, Choice Extremely Fine. This lengthy deeply personal and philosophical Letter is written to journalist William Leete Stone of New York. Stone was newspaper editor of the Herkimer “American,” the “Northern Whig” (Hudson, NY), the Albany “Daily Advertiser,” the Hartford “Mirror” and the New York “Commercial Advertiser.” An active Freemason, Stone was also one of the editors of two literary periodicals, “The Knights of the Round Table” and “The Lounger.”
In his retirement after leaving the Presidency in 1829, John Quincy Adams took an interest in the Anti-Masonic movement, and William Stone wrote to Adams on the subject and published a 556-page book in 1832 entitled, “Letters on Masonry and Anti-Masonry, addressed to the Hon. John Quincy Adams. By William L. Stone.” Stone had published some of the letters he had received from Adams in his New York newspaper, “Commercial Advertiser.”
In 1847 Adams published a 284-page book entitled, “Letters on the Masonic Institution” which included eight letters he wrote to Stone dating between December 24, 1831 and September 4, 1832. (This specific letter offered here in our sale was not included.) To our knowledge, there is no record of any Anti-Masonic John Quincy Adams letters having sold at a major public auction in the past 35 years! This beautifully penned, easily readable personal Letter is written fully in John Quincy Adams’ hand. It reads in full:
“William L. Stone, Esqr. New York. --- Washington 8, Decr. 1832 --- Dear Sir ----
I promised a further reply to your Letter of the 30th ulto. but before commencing upon it must say a word more upon matters antecedent.
In a note appended to your publication of my first letter, you observe that eight or ten years ago, before you ever heard of Morgan, you proposed a revisal of the obligations, and that the barbarous penalties and language, complained of by me should be expunged. This is another Evidence to me of that rectitude of principles and soundness of judgment, which have preserved your heart and mind, from that almost universal depravation which it is the character of the Masonic Oaths, Obligations and Penalties generally to produce. It is known to be one of the most ordinary phenomena of insanity, that the sufferer is perfectly rational and intelligent upon every subject but one; and wherever that is touched upon, raving distracted. The Masonic History of the last seven years, has abundantly proved, that the Oaths, Obligations and Penalties, of that Institution, produce upon the immense majority of the men to whom they are administered, and by whom they are taken, a similar partial aberration from moral principle.
They lose the moral sense in every thing relating to their Masonic Obligations, and retain it entire, or perhaps little impaired with respect to every thing else. This appears to me to account for the fact so portentously proved in the Morgan Murder transactions, that multitudes of men otherwise of fair characters and blameless lives were deeply and awfully implicated in that horrible Calendar of Crimes. It accounts also for the fact of that desperate adherence of so many otherwise honest men to those barbarous, absurd and abominable Oaths, Obligations and Penalties. For it is to them that the high minded men of the fraternity now declare that they will cling to the last gasp of their existence.
To this fact I wish to point your special attention. It is against these Oaths, Obligations and Penalties, and against them alone, that the pure and disinterested Spirit of Anti Masonry is arranged. The abolition of them is the great moral reformation which Anti Masonry has undertaken to accomplish, and from which I trust it will not swerve. With the Oaths and Obligations, the Secrets fall of course, and all those being abandoned if the Free Masons wish to continue as a charitable, benevolent and convivial fraternity, no mortal on earth will object to their so doing.
The Oaths, Obligations and Penalties therefore now constitute the only matter at issue between Masonry and Anti Masonry. And I ask you if an aberration of intellect, as well as of moral feeling more monstrous can be imagined, than the inflexible adherence to the determination that they will continue to swear men upon the penalties of having their throats cut from ear to ear--of cutting open the left breast and tearing out the heart and vitals, of severing the body in two, and of smiting off the skulls that they will never reveal to any one under the Canopy of Heavens Secrets, which have been divulged and proclaimed on the housetops. And this, in the name of the living God! I have endeavored to show that the administration of these Oaths was vicious, when it was to keep secrets that were secret. But now -- that they are known to every one who will read--what is it but a blasphemous taking of the name of God in vain?
In your letter of the 28th ulto. you do emphatically declare it as still your earnest desire to destroy this wretched structure of Free Masonry, and I give you the most unqualified credit for sincerity in this declaration. But will you allow me in friendship and in confidence to say, that some of your strictures in your paper, upon the Anti Masons, since the disappointment of the late Elections [Anti Masonic presidential nominee William Wirt won only 7.8% of the popular vote], has led not me but some of them, to doubt your attachment to their cause. I do earnestly wish them to be sensible as I am that your book is the best Anti Masonic book that ever was published. They differed from you with regard to the Candidates for the Presidency and Vice Presidency; but now that the Election is over, cannot you pursue with them the common object; which is to prevail upon the Free Masonry to do, that which you urged them to so, even before the fate or the offence of Morgan, had arisen in the series of events.
Remember that it is in the power of the Masonic Fraternity to demolish the whole system of political Anti Masonry forever. To effect this object the single thing they have to do, is to cease administering the entered Apprentice’s Oath. It would follow of course that they would administer none of the others. Let them do this, and they will never again have an Anti Masonic Candidate to oppose or defeat them.
To come now to your letter of the 30th ulto. I have not received from the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge, a copy of the printed minutes of their proceedings in June last. In the great object of prevailing upon the Masons voluntarily to abandon their Idol, I have felt curiosity to ascertain how far it has a prospect of success.
Having left your Book at my residence at Quincy I am not able from more recollection to refer to the several circumstances mentioned in your narrative whereas I drew the inference that (the conspiracy for the kidnapping and murder of Morgan, originated in the Chapter at Rochester). But I think you say that (it was there, Morgan had been admitted to the Royal Arch degree) at the proposal of James Ganson. You say it was there also that on the formation of the Chapter the forms of admission had been introduced from the old manuscript of which you gave me a copy. Being the forms which had been used by judge Hosmer, in Connecticut. You intimate also that it was from there that Morgan had copied the obligations as they are published in his book. It occurred to me then that (the Chapter at Rochester was the one that he had specially offended) and that which in Masonic Law was responsible for the suppression of his Book.
The Masons at Batavia had discovered that he and Shiller were preparing for the publication of the Book, which it was their great object to suppress. But Morgan was not one of them. They had excluded him from their Chapter, in a most offensive manner, by getting up a second Petition, without his name, and without assigning any reason for his exclusion after having obtained a Charter for a Chapter by a petition in which he had joined. He did not belong therefore to the Chapter at Batavia, nor was it there that he had obtained the means of divulging the Secrets, but at Rochester. It was then the Chapter at Rochester which became responsible for the suppression of the Book and for the punishment of the proposed publisher (It was the obligation administered to him by them that he was about to violate, and it was for them and them along to convict and punish him).
Hence also I inferred the extraordinary agency of James Ganson in the conspiracy--he having been the Sponsor of Morgan at his admission to the Royal Arch degree. The conspiracy embraced two objects--the suppress the Book and to punish the author. It is apparent that the transportation of Morgan to Niagara had been previously concerted at the Chapter in Rochester. That by their direction he had been seized at Batavia by a party from Canandaigua, carried there and lodged in prison, to be exactly in such position that he might at the moment of his liberation, be unlawfully seized and transported whither they should direct. For this direction the nightly journey of Loton Lawson from Canandaigua to Rochester, and his return early the next morning was affected. He was followed by men charged with executing the Instruction of the Chapter; and the carriages for his transportation to the fort of Niagara had been all prepared and arranged before hand. The Chapters at Batavia and LeRoy were the informers against Morgan (The Lodge at Canandaigua undertook to arrest, and deliver him up to the Chapter at Rochester, and they were to consummate the Punishment precisely because it was to and by them that his Masonic vows had been made). Mr. Whittlesey informs me of another fact not noticed in your book -- That (after Morgan was lodged in the fort at Niagara; another messenger was sent to Rochester and returned thence before he was put to death. That the messenger bore this Order from the Chapter I cannot doubt.)
From the annunciation in your book that you was authorised to state that the Grand Encampment at New York had taken measures for ascertaining what charges had been made in the forms of admission in the Western Encampments subordinate to them, I had hoped that an authentic disclosure of the result would before this have been published. Why you was authorised to excite the expectation of such disclosure, unless with the intention to fulfill the expectation, I do not enquire. Your book I think mentions some of the innovations as having been introduced from Vermont by a number of the present Congress. May I enquire who that is, and what the precise terms which he introduced into the obligations were? --- I am very respectfully, your friend --- (Signed) J. Q. Adams.”
This absolutely remarkable content Letter is in extraordinary, clean and pleasing quality. The writing is very precise and remains is deep rich brown upon high quality period paper. The spine has some fine archival reinforcement. The signature, “J. Q. Adams” is exceptionally fresh and distinct at its conclusion. Such important Letters with great content as found here typically carry a huge premium with collectors. Our modest estimate range should prove an attractive guide.
It is believed that Freemason William Morgan of Batavia, New York was murdered in 1826 for planning to reveal the secrets of their order. In 1882 a monument to Capt. William Morgan was placed in the Batavia City Cemetery. It reads:
“Sacred to the memory of Wm. Morgan, a native of Virginia, a Capt. in the War of 1812, a respectable citizen of Batavia, and a martyr to the freedom of writing, printing and speaking the truth. He was abducted from near this spot in the year 1826, by Freemasons and murdered for revealing the secrets of their order. The court records of Genesee County, and the files of the ‘Batavia Advocate,’ kept in the Recorders office contain the history of the events that caused the erection of this monument.”
It was said that Morgan was abducted and murdered and his body thrown into the Niagara River. In 1827 a body was washed ashore. The first inquest decided that it was Morgan. A trial was held and Freemasons were convicted of abducting Morgan, yet there wasn’t enough evidence for a murder conviction.
A subsequent inquest identified the body as a Canadian, though, it did not matter. The story of Morgan’s murder frightened the public and America’s first third political party, the Anti-Masonic Party, was organized in New York in 1827.
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Taxes:
| Tax | Rate | Desc. |
| CST |
7.25% |
California |
| SST |
7.75% |
San Diego County |
Buyer's Premiums:
| From (Incl.) | To (Excl.) | Premium |
| 0.00 |
Infinite |
25% |
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a. If a dispute arises concerning ownership of a given Lot that has been Bid upon or concerning proceeds of any sale, EAHA reserves the right to commence a statutory Inter-Pleader or similar proceeding at the expense of the Consignor and successful Bidder and any other applicable party, and in such event shall be entitled to its reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs.
b. Neither EAHA nor any affiliated or related company shall be responsible for incidental or consequential damages arising out of any failure of these General Terms and Conditions, the Auction or the conduct thereof and in no event shall such liability exceed the original Purchase Price, premium, or fees paid.
c. If the Bidder fails to comply with one or more of these General Terms and Conditions, then, in addition to all other remedies which it may have at law or in equity, EAHA may at its sole option either rescind the sale, retaining all payments made by Bidder as liquidated damages; it being recognized that actual damages may be speculative or difficult to compute, or sell a portion or all of the Lot(s) held by EAHA, in a quantity sufficient in the opinion of EAHA to satisfy the indebtedness, plus all accrued charges, and EAHA may sell such portion at an Auction or private sale conducted by EAHA and charge a seller’s commission that is commercially reasonable. More than one such sale may take place at the option of EAHA. Notice of the sale shall be by U.S.P.S. Mail, Return Receipt Requested to the address utilized on the Bid Sheet, Auction Consignment and Security Agreement or other last known address by EAHA. The proceeds shall be applied first to the satisfaction of any damages occasioned by Bidder’s breach, then to any other indebtedness owed to EAHA, including without limitation, commissions, handling charges, the expenses of both sales, reasonable attorneys’ fees, costs, collection agency fees and costs and any other costs or expenses incurred.
d. It/he/she shall be liable to EAHA if the proceeds of such sale(s) insufficient to cover the indebtedness.
e. The rights granted to the Bidder(s) under the within General Terms and Conditions are personal and apply only to the Bidder(s) who initially purchase the Lot(s) at the Auction, and no rights may be assigned or transferred to any other person or entity, and any attempt to assign or transfer any such rights shall be absolutely void and unenforceable.
f. ANY DISPUTE ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THESE GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS, THE AUCTION OR ANY LOT, WITH THE SOLE EXCEPTION OF ACTIONS BY EAHA TO COLLECT THE PURCHASE PRICE AND OTHER DAMAGES, SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO BINDING ARBITRATION WITH THE VENUE OF ALL HEARINGS TO BE IN SAN DIEGO AND PURSUANT TO THE RULES OF THE AMERICAN ARBITRATION ASSOCIATION AND/OR THE PROFESSIONAL NUMISMATICS GUILD ("PNG") AT"EAHA’S EXCLUSIVE OPTION.
11. Miscellaneous Terms.
All Bidders in the Auction acknowledge and agree, as a condition to the acceptance of a Bid by the Auctioneer, that:
a. These General Terms and Conditions and the Auction shall be construed and enforced in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of California, regardless of the location of the Auction.
b. These General Terms and Conditions, and the information on EAHA’s website, constitute the entire Agreement between EAHA and the Bidder(s) and supersede all other agreements, understandings, warranties and representations of and concerning the Auction and subject matter hereof.
c. EAHA will not be responsible for damage due to irradiation by the U.S. Post Office.
d. If any part of these General Terms and Conditions, or any term or provision of any part is held to be invalid, void, or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining portion(s) shall remain and be in full force and effect.
12. Definitions
a. The term "Absentee Bid" shall mean all Bids placed via any communication including: mail, phone, fax, email and website.
b. The term "Auction" shall mean an auction or consignment sale authorized and conducted under the auspices of "EAHA" and under these General Terms and Conditions.
c. The term "Auction Date" shall mean the date the Auction is conducted or consignment item is sold.
d. The term "Auctioneer" shall mean an individual(s) duly licensed and/or employee designated by "EAHA" to conduct the Auction or any Sale.
e. The term "Bid" shall mean a bona fide Bid made by a "Bidder" which is officially acknowledged and accepted by the Auctioneer at the Auction on the Auction Date.
f. The term "Bidder" shall mean an individual or entity that submits a legally binding and bona fide Bid to the Auctioneer at the Auction or any direct buyer either physical or online.
g. The term "Catalog" shall mean the official publication issued by EAHA and transmitted to potential Bidder(s) in advance of the Auction.
h. The term "Cataloguer" shall mean the individual(s) that has described the "Lot(s)" contained in the Catalog for the Auction.
i. "Conservation" the Professional activities including the careful examination as supported by expertise, research and education, in treatment of an item using, "any methods that prove effective in keeping or bringing that property in as close to its original condition as possible, for as long as possible."
j. The term "Consignment Agreement" shall mean the written agreement(s) between "EAHA" and a given "Consignor" available at "EAHA’s" offices.
k. The term "Consignor" shall mean the owner of the "Merchandise" offered for sale by "Lot" at the Auction.
l. The term "Description" shall mean the written remarks describing the features of a Lot combined with the corresponding photograph of said Lot.
m. The term "www.EarlyAmerican.com" shall mean the Internet accessible service provided by EAHA.
n. The term "EAHA" shall mean collectively Early American History Auctions, Inc. and/or any subsidiary or affiliated entity and/or Officer(s), Director(s) and/or employee(s) of EAHA.
o. The term "Fair Market Value" shall mean the sale price a given Lot is expected by the Cataloguer to realize at the Auction from the Bidder(s).
p. The term "Hammer Price" shall mean the successful Bid in the Auction as determined by the Auctioneer on the Auction Date.
q. The term "Holder" shall mean the original frame, container, case or clear plastic sleeve, labeled with the "Lot" number, in which the "Merchandise" is delivered by the Consignor to the successful Bidder at an Auction.
r. The term "Lot(s)" shall mean the article(s) comprising the Merchandise offered for sale at the Auction.
s. The term "Low Estimate" shall mean the low range of the sale price that a Lot is expected by the Cataloguer to realize at the Auction.
t. The term "Merchandise" shall mean personal property described in the Catalog and offered for sale by Lot at the Auction.
u. The term "Purchaser" shall mean the successful Bidder at the Auction on the Auction Date.
v. The term "Purchaser’s Premium" shall mean the commission that is automatically charged by "EAHA" to each successful Bidder at the Auction in a sum equal to twenty percent (20%) of the "Hammer Price" or twenty-five percent (25%) of the "Hammer Price" if bids are placed through a third party firm including Invaluable.com, LiveAuctioneers.com and iCollector.com.
w. The term "Reserve" is a confidential price below which the Auctioneer will not sell a given Lot, and/or will re-purchase on behalf of the Consignor or EAHA.
x. The term "Settlement Date" shall mean a time forty-five (45) days after the Auction Date.