[Rarebooks] FS: John Quincy Adams SIGNED 3-Page Letter on his Article Contrasting Islam with Christianity

[Charles Agvent]

ADAMS, John Quincy. AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED (ALS). Washington, 29 March 
1830. 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. Some splitting along the fold. Fine.

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. 
(#019167)        $5,000.00

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