In his biography, John Adams, David McCullough quotes Adams explaining how he could be on such good terms with Thomas Jefferson, after all of Jefferson's lies and betrayals:
" I do not believe that Mr. Jefferson ever hated me. On the contrary, I believe he always like me; but he detested Hamilton and my whole administration. Then he wished to be President of the United States, and I stood in his way. So he did everything that he could do to pull me down. But if I should quarrel with him for that, I might quarrel with every man I have had anything to do with in life. This is human nature.... I forgive all my enemies and hope they may find mercy in Heaven. Mr. Jefferson and I have grown old and retired from public life. So we are upon our ancient terms of goodwill." (632)
The Adams-Jefferson reconciliation is the only reconciliation that figures in the short version of American history, the one people actually know. It became an example of "one of the things that can happen between people"; it entered reconciliation into the American toolkit of possibilities.
I am tempted to recommend the McCullough's biography as background reading for every ethics class in America. One can say: this is one way a life can go right, through luck and effort.
Posted by shea0017 at September 21, 2004 9:55 AM