This is a paper on John Dickinson and John Adams, their views of each other at the beginning and their falling out of favor with one another. The paper is divided into three parts, which hopefully will make it easier for the reader to see the way their feelings toward each other developed. As will be shown, most of the paper deals with John Dickinson and how John Adams felt, this is because Dickinson is the least well known of any of the founding fathers, and he does not deserve that honor. Other founding fathers will be quoted as well, to show how deep the rifts became when concerning Dickinson.

Here is a brief biographical sketch on John Dickinson. He was born on November 19, 1732 in Talbot County, Maryland.⁽¹⁾ He was trained as a lawyer and also had a political and writing career throughout his life. He studied law in Philadelphia and Middle Temple in London, England.⁽²⁾ He was in the Continental Congress for four years, Governor of Delaware for a year, and Governor of Pennsylvania for four years.⁽³⁾ He served in the militia for four years and was a Brigadier-General at the end of his military service.⁽⁴⁾ He died in Wilmington, Delaware on February 14, 1808 and he was buried at the Friends Burial Ground in Wilmington.⁽⁵⁾

Even though there is no need to introduce John Adams, here is a brief biographical sketch of him. He was born October 30, 1735 in Braintree, Massachusetts. He went to Harvard College and studied law. He was a congressman from Massachusetts and the second president of the United States of America from 1797 to 1801. He died at Quincy, Massachusetts and was buried at the United First Parish Church, Quincy, Massachusetts.
 

John Adams admired the Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania written by John Dickinson in 1768, a scholar and gentlemen, who had been educated in London. He read them aloud to Abigail, his wife, and felt they had a warmth to them.⁽⁶⁾ The Letters where about the colonial opposition to the Townshend Acts in 1767 and 1768. Dickinson wrote them first in the form of newspaper essays then republished as pamphlets. Here is what he thought of the chances of leaving the British Empire. "...torn from the body, to which we are united by religion, liberty, laws, affections, relations, language, and commerce . . . we must bleed at every vein."⁽⁷⁾ He was best known for his great skill at political writing.⁽⁸⁾ During the first and second Congress his gift for writing was well utilized. Dickinson took action before Adams did when it came to the injustices of the colonies. Adams tried to stay away from the hotheads in Massachusetts for a longtime, this did not mean he was not a patriot. He was, but he just felt the time had not come to act. Many researchers believe, he, like many other colonist's saw know was the time to act after they had read The Letters.

By 1733 Dickinson was 'recognized as the leading champion of American liberty throughout the colonies.'⁽⁹⁾ He wrote an anonymous letter that was quite clearly his as he later admitted it. It was called to the "Inhabitants of the British Colonies" and in it he had this statement to make. "The man who fears difficulties arising in the defense of freedom is unworthy of freedom."⁽¹⁰⁾ Until the year of Independence, Dickinson and Franklin where the two most known Americans to most colonists.⁽¹¹⁾ Not only did he write patriotic letters, but he also wrote a song known as the Liberty Song. It was the first ever freedom song for the US. One very famous line was "By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall." And another part was

In Freedom we're born, in FREEDOM we'll live,

Our Purses are ready, Steady, Friends, Steady

Not as SLAVES, but as FREEMEN

our money we'll give.⁽¹²⁾
 

Adams praised this song by saying that it was "cultivating the sensations of freedom."⁽¹³⁾

Many people thought that Dickinson and Franklin wrote rather like one another, that is, in a plain understanding for the people. The truth was that Dickinson hated Franklin so much that he refused to have a lightning rod put on his mansion and then lighting struck his home soon after.⁽¹⁴⁾

When Adams first saw Dickinson who came to meet him and his fellow Massachusetts delegates in his coach driven by four good-looking horses. He had been suffering from gout he said or he would have come earlier. Adams would claim later he was always giving excuses. He also thought "He is but a shadow, tall slender as a reed, pale as ashes. One would think at first sight he could not live a month. Yet upon more attentive inspection he looks as if the springs of life were strong enough to last many years."⁽¹⁵⁾ Another thing that Adams felt when he heard that Dickinson was coming was that he was a timid man with an overgrown fortune.⁽¹⁶⁾ One of Dickinson's impressions on Adams was that one trait he certainly lacked was patience.⁽¹⁷⁾ Two weeks later Adams had this to say on Dickinson "Mr. Dickinson is a very modest Man, and very ingenious, as well as agreeable. He has an excellent Heart, and the Cause of his Country lies near it."⁽¹⁸⁾ As this shows, they where friends once they got to know each other, until Adams started getting annoyed with Dickinson for not reacting fast enough to total Independence.

One of the authors named Bowen believes that the American Revolution was 'engineered' from the beginning to the end by just a few men because of their writing to one another and their eloquent voices to the people.⁽¹⁹⁾ They were Washington, Jefferson, Lee, Henry from Virginia; Gadsden, Lynch, Judge Drayton in the Carolinas; John Jay in New York; Dickinson, McKean, Rodney in middle colonies; Chase in Maryland; Witherspoon of Princeton; Roger Sherman in Connecticut; the Admasses, Hawley and Hancock in Massachusetts.⁽²⁰⁾
 

During the first Congress, Dickinson wrote a draft that was shown all around it and he had written grievances that where the same ones that Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence later on.⁽²¹⁾ Dickinson also said "Let us never forget that our strength depends on our union and our Liberty on our strength . . . United we conquer, divided we die."⁽²²⁾

Adams called for a resolution to adopt committee government if that was needed to promote and use the Congresses policies. Dickinson allowed it to pass on May 10, but said that Pennsylvania did not need this law to govern effectively. Adams in retaliation of this created a preamble which basically said oaths to the King were no longer allowed, since he knew the Pennsylvania government still did this. Dickinson allowed it to pass, but left the delegation from Pennsylvania, thus Adams won that round.⁽²³⁾

Dickinson once said " . . . But we are a nation! ...We are a nation although consisting of parts or states."⁽²⁴⁾ This shows how true his foreshadowing could be. On the issue of dependency between the branches, this is what he said during the convention. "If the General Government should be left dependent on the State Legislature, it would be happy for us if we had never met in this room."⁽²⁵⁾

On July 1775 Adams wrote in his diary what he had heard Dickinson asks him outside of the State House yard.

What is the reason, Mr. Adams, that you New Englandmen opposes our measures of reconciliation? Look ye! If you don't concur with us in our pacific system, I and a number of us will break off from you in New England and we will carry on the opposition by ourselves in our own way."⁽²⁶⁾
 

Adams' reply to this was "

You are wasting your time, Mr. Dickinson, I am not be threatened. In the name of unity, I can make sacrifices as well as you. You and your friends have seen me make them. Let the Congress judge between us. If they vote against me, I will submit. And if they vote against you, Let you do the same.⁽²⁷⁾

He did not let Dickinson get another word in edgewise. Later on Adams lost his temper and wrote "A certain great Fortune and piddling Genius, whose Fame has been trumpeted so loudly, has given a silly Cast to our whole Doings." This was of course written about Dickinson. It was written in a letter which the British found and for a while Adams was treated cooly by the members of congress.⁽²⁸⁾ It is said by Adams that one day he was walking on Chestnut Street and Dickinson passed him by without a word.⁽²⁹⁾ Adams knew that if Dickinson took away Pennsylvania then shortly after New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware would probably follow not far behind.⁽³⁰⁾ Needless to say it would have been a disaster for the Independence movement, if not even the end of it all.

The Dickinson faction in Congress was to do everything possible to reconcile, so they wanted to send a Humble and Dutiful Petition to the King. In the petition there was statement that said the colonies would willingly negotiate. But Adams sprang to his feet and said they where all imbeciles for had they not done more then necessary to reconcile with the King.⁽³¹⁾ In the end Dickinson won this skirmish. The Congress voted a unanimous Ay to the 'Humble' petition. Adams submitted since he had no other recourse. The King never formally read the letter from the Throne, so technically no answer was given.⁽³²⁾ After this vote all knew where they stood on the issues. Dickinson would write other petitions to the King like the "Olive Branch", but he was not able to stop the revolution from going ahead. Adams seemed baffled by the fact that the one man who had basically started all talk of revolution was now his enemy.⁽³³⁾ At one point Adams said Dickinson's policy was like having a sword in one hand and an olive branch in the other.⁽³⁴⁾ This petition would serve as the end of approval of Dickinson by many including and especially by Adams.

Dickinson's version of the " . . . Causes and Necessity of their taking up ARMS" was approved on July 6, 1775 with very few changes.⁽³⁵⁾ He had tried to help Jefferson with a version, but Jefferson did not want his help, even though Dickinson was the head writer of this Deceleration.⁽³⁶⁾ Dickinson's version of the form was stronger in words and action and he listed more of the wrongdoing by England then Jefferson had. He forced the people of the colonies to choose either "an unconditional submission to the Tyranny of irritated Ministers, or Resistance by Force,' and inserted a statement that necessity had 'not yet' driven the colonists to disrupt the empire, it raised the possibility of Independence more explicitly then Jefferson had done.⁽³⁷⁾

It was thought by all that the colonists did not what to 'secede' but just to end the restrictions and then they would give up their guns, this was true for a while, but then the urge of Independence became a reality.⁽³⁸⁾ Dickinson also stated that

Our cause is just, our union is perfect. We fight not for glory or for conquest. In our won native land, in defense of the freedom that is our birthright, we had taken up arms. We shall lay them down when hostilities shall cease on the part of the aggressors, and all danger of their being renewed shall be removed, and not before.⁽³⁹⁾

When Lee got Virginia to resolve that the colonies should be free from the mother land, Dickinson, Wilson, Rutledge and Livingston said that after this it would be impossible for the colonies to unite back with Great Britain. They said they where 'friends' to Lees's resolution but did not think the time had come to accept it yet. In this they were defeated.

Patrick Henry wrote the first draft of 'The Loyal Address to the King', but Congress felt it was far too harsh, so Dickinson wrote the final draft, although it too had harsh words for the King. Here is a passage that shows how Dickinson and most of the Congress felt at the time.

...Had we been permitted to enjoy in quiet the inheritance left us by our forefathers, we should at this time have been peaceably, cheerfully and usefully employed in recommending ourselves by every testimony of devotion to Your Majesty, and of veneration to the state, from which we derive our origin . . . ⁽⁴⁰⁾
 

Dickinson always believed that it was the ministers of George III who were writing the hostile speeches against the colonies and not the King himself.⁽⁴¹⁾ It allowed him to keep hoping that reconciliation was possible.

Many colonies especially the ones in the middle told their delegates not to vote on Independence in 1775 and early 1776. They felt things where going to get better soon and they would all reunite with the mother country. Dickinson was thought to be one of the delegates that maneuvered this to happen.⁽⁴²⁾

The men who wished for reconciliation did not think a Deceleration of Independence should be written since it would stop any act of reconciliation. When Dickinson first spoke about Independence he began with such a beautiful line. "My conduct this day I expect will give the finishing blow to my once too great, and my now too diminished popularity. Yet I had rather foreit popularity forever, then vote away the blood and happiness of my countrymen."⁽⁴³⁾ He continued on for another hour in which he prophesied the doom of the colonies living peacefully together as one. He also said that he was sad to see that he was now in disagreement with men he uses to see 'eye to eye with' and that if they signed it, it would be like "to brave the storm in a skiff made of Paper."⁽⁴⁴⁾ In response it has been said that Adams gave one of his best speeches, but we no longer have a copy of it for us moderns to read. Dickinson was very concerned in how other countries would react to an independent country of three million people without a King.⁽⁴⁵⁾ The United States of America became the first country in the west not to have a King as the head of state, so it is understandable why people of the caliber of Dickinson would wonder what would happen when the foreign nations heard of the revolution. He said foreign powers would rely on deeds, not words. He also said that the Deceleration would not unify, but actually weaken the colonies. "I answer that the spirit of the colonies, is Not to be relied on."⁽⁴⁶⁾ Adams thought "he had prepared himself apparently with great labor and ardent zeal and in a speech of great length, and with all his eloquence, he combined together all that he had said in Congress by himself and others." A young lawyer who also heard him said " . . . He was clearly wrong yet I believed him right. Such were the effects of oratory."⁽⁴⁷⁾ Adams also thought that quite possibly some of what Dickinson had said would come true.⁽⁴⁸⁾ Coming from Adams, that is quite a revelation, since it seemed so hard for him to agree with people he now considered his enemies.

Dickinson had this to say in 1776. "Consider the effect such a deceleration might have on Europe. From Versailles to St. Petersburg, every court every potentate, followed move by move this quarrel within the British body politics."⁽⁴⁹⁾ He was mainly worried about which side Empress Catherine of Russia would take. He also was very afraid like many where of French domination. Dickinson had this to say on the subject. "We shall weep at our victories" if we let France take us over⁽⁵⁰⁾. Most believed French rule would be far worse then English. On July 2, 1776 when it was his colonies time to vote he stayed away.⁽⁵¹⁾ Right after the vote he joined the militia and went to Elizabethtown.⁽⁵²⁾

Dickinson and his followers where very much weakened by the King's speech against the colony and the burning of Norfolk, but especially from the release of Common Sense which really did hurt them.⁽⁵³⁾ In a letter to Landon Carter on May 17, 1776 Adams said this about Dickinson.

John Dickinson, who was not present when the resolution and preface were adopted, apparently thought, somewhat strangely, that Congress calls for establishment of regular American government would actually 'promote a more speedy reconciliation' by goading the British to offer terms before those governments were in place.⁽⁵⁴⁾

Dickinson had from the start been considered one of the top writers if not the best one, so he helped draft and write many important papers such as the Articles of Confederation.⁽⁵⁵⁾ He was coined the penman of the revolution, but sadly that phrase did not stick. He would have been considered to help write the Declaration of Independence if he had not shown his attitude for reconciliation with the King.⁽⁵⁶⁾ Dickinson did not sign the Declaration of Independence, and unfortunately that is what most people only remember about him. A French journal called Journal de Paris said that Dickinson was responsible under his influence for the Independence movement in the colonies, but Jefferson wrote, but did not publish, a letter showing that he thought Dickinson was on the other side of the aisle on independence.⁽⁵⁷⁾

Bowen states that the conciliators did not have any intention "of knuckling under to Britain, no intention of renouncing the fight for a free representative government in America." But these men still yearned for freedom by what ever means necessary, but not to leave the mighty British Empire.⁽⁵⁸⁾

When Dickinson joined the militia he did all kinds of dangerous things to prove to everyone who doubted him that he was truly a patriot.⁽⁵⁹⁾ At one point they thought he would leave the militia and become part of the British troops.⁽⁶⁰⁾ The British looted his house and burned many of his books, because they saw him still as an 'agitator for freedom.'⁽⁶¹⁾ The British also burned three of his homes, because they were so afraid of what he had done. It is rather ironic that both sides where suspicious of him and that he had to continually prove his patriotism to the colonial side. It was sad because he had shown for so long how truly patriotic he was, but because he did not sign the Deceleration of Independence he was branded for ever more as a traitor to liberty.

Dickinson was appointed to the committee that drafted the Articles of Confederation and he also helped propose model treaties with foreign countries.⁽⁶²⁾ Dickinson was fifty-four during the Constitutional Convention of 1787.⁽⁶³⁾ On June 2^nd Dickinson said he thought limited monarchy was one of the best forms of government, but that it could not work in America. He said a House of Nobles could not be made by breath or pen. Which meant that he believed nobility was created by the King, and since the new country had no King what would be the point in having a noble class. He believed in a single executive running things, though.⁽⁶⁴⁾ He thought as did other founding fathers that the executive would come from the wealthy and educated class. He was one of the strongest advocates for a national government.⁽⁶⁵⁾ "Let our government be like the sun and the states the planets, repelled yet attracted, and the whole moving regularly and harmoniously in their several orbits."⁽⁶⁶⁾ and he also said this, less poetically "We must either subject the states to the danger of being injured by the power of the national governments, or the latter to the danger of being injured by that of the states. I think the danger greater from the states."⁽⁶⁷⁾ When the constitution was being signed Dickinson was at home in Wilmington sick, so he asked George Read to sign for him.⁽⁶⁸⁾

These two men-- John Dickinson and John Adams had much in common at the beginning of their respective careers. They where both lawyers and both wrote, although Dickinson wrote better. They both understood the plight of the colonies. They both acted patriotically. The differences begin to emerge as seen from this paper when the issue of total independence is discussed. Adams does not give up easily in his feuds as seen if one has researched his feelings towards Jefferson. It is too bad, since Dickinson and Adams could have been such good friends, if they had let bygones begone after the Revolution. Even though Dickinson did not sign the Declaration of Independence, he believed strongly enough in the battle, that he went directly into military service for the colonial side. He was elected again to different posts, but essentially none of the people, especially Adams, saw him as they once had-a friend. Adams was not tarnished at all, since he was so patriotic and had signed the Declaration of Independence. He would become a President, while Dickinson only got as far the governorship of two states. When Jefferson heard of Dickinson's death here is what he said "his name will be consecrated in history as one of the great worthies of the Revolution."⁽⁶⁹⁾ Unfortunately that has not happened, but hopefully one day is pen will be read again.
 
 

Bowen, Catherine Drinker. 1949. John Adams and the American Revolution. New York: Atlantic Little Brown

Bowen, Catherine Drinker. 1986. Miracle at Philadelphia: The Story of the Constitutional Convention May to September 1787. New York: Atlantic Little Brown
 

Flower, Milton. 1983. John Dickinson: Conservative Revolutionary. Charlottesville: University of Virginia
 

Hawke, David. 1964. A Transaction of Free Men: The Birth and Course of the Declaration of Independence. New York: Charles Scribner's sons
 

Hawke, David Freeman. 1976. Honorable Treason: The Declaration of Independence and the Men Who Signed It. New York: Viking Press
 

Maier, Pauline. 1997. American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence. New York: Vintage

Statistical/Additional Data Pamphlet. John Adams. (1735-1826) Quincy: Adams National Historic Site
 

Stille, Charles J. 1891. The Life and Times of John Dickinson. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company

US Army Center for Military History. John Dickinson: Soldier-Statesmen of the Constitution.
 

Wills, Garry. 1978. Inventing America: Jefferson's Declaration of Independence. New York: Doubleday
 

Wolf, Edwin. 1968. John Dickinson: Forgotten Patriot. 2^nd Edition. Philadelphia: Friends of John Dickinson Mansion, Inc.,
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

1. "Military Pamphlet" p 7.

2. Wolf 1968, p 4.

3. "Military Pamphlet" p 7.

4. Ibid.

5. Ibid.

6. Bowen 1949, p 309.

7. Maier 1997, p 29.

8. Ibid., p 18.

9. Flower 1983, p 100.

10. Ibid., p 105.

11. Ibid.

12. Ibid. p 108.

13. Wolf 1968, p 6.

14. Hawke 1976, p 43.

15. Bowen 1949, p 467.

16. Hawke 1976, p 62.

17. Ibid., p 9.

18. Wolf 1968, p 7.

19. Bowen 1949, p 512.

20. Ibid.

21. Flower 1983, p 117.

22. Ibid., p 72.

23. Wills 1978, p 32.

24. Bowen 1966, p 41.

25. Ibid., p 185.

26. Hawke 1964, p 105.

27. Bowen 1949, p 526.

28. Hawke 1964, p 105.

29. Bowen 1949, p 540.

30. Hawke 1964, p 9-10.

31. Bowen 1949, p 525.

32. Ibid., p 24-25.

33. Ibid., p 527.

34. Flower 1983, p 128.

35. Maier 1997, p 19.

36. Ibid.

37. Ibid., p 20.

38. Ibid.

39. Bowen 1949, p 538.

40. Bowen 1949, p 500-501.

41. Maier 1997, p 124.

42. Ibid., p 30.

43. Ibid., p 595.

44. Hawke 1964, p 179.

45. Ibid., 574-575.

46. Hawke 1964, p 179.

47. Ibid., p 181.

48. Ibid. p 183.

49. Bowen 1949, p 573.

50. Maier 1997, p 29

51. Bowen 1949, p 598.

52. Bowen 1966, p 58.

53. Maier 1997, p 250 note 45.

54. Maier 1997, p 252 note 72.

55. Maier 1997, p 18.

56. Ibid., p 101.

57. Ibid., p 169.

58. Flower 1983, p 174.

59. Ibid., p 181.

60. Ibid.

61. Ibid.

62. Maier 1997, p 101.

63. Bowen 1949, p 58.

64. Ibid.

65. Ibid.

66. Ibid., p 78-79.

67. Ibid., p 82.

68. Ibid., p 263.

69. Wolf 1968, p 12.