John Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, February 3, 1803

Quincy [ ante 25 ] Feb.  
1803

Dear Sir

In my last I attempted to prove that Goverment and Society are
inseperable from each other. 1 In the case
that was Stated the Government of the Mother over her Infant, was proved to be coeval
with the first Act of Society or Sociability between them. Without the Government of the
Mother there could have been no Connection or Intercourse between them: and the Child
must have perished in the first moments of its Life. Another Hypothesis may be now
advanced, which will Shew the Same Truth in another light not less clear. Suppose the
first Man and Woman created upon Earth, in full Strength and Stature.— At the first View
of each other, they would both probably cry out if they could Speak, or if they could
not Speak they would think “Surely tis some Infant of the Sun, dressed in its father
gayest Beams.[”] 2 Nature has made Men and
Women for each other. Call it Instinct, Sympathy or Feeling it is the Constitution of
human Nature. The human Face is to the human Eye, perhaps the finest and certainly one
of the most wonderful of the Works of God in this lower material World. The
configuration of the Body, has Elegancies which nothing in this Sublunary Scene,
exceeds. The Motions of the Body in Walking or running have a grace, that is fascinating
to the Sight. All these feelings of delight would concur to banish all fears and Soon
bring the new created Couple to nearer Intercourses and more intimate
Connections. The Superiour Stature Strength and Agility of the man, has not more Charms
in the Estimation of the Woman, than her Superiour Softness Delicacy and Timidity have
in , Start deletion, that of the Man , End, his. They would Soon be so fond
of each others Company that they would both be uneasy when absent or out of Sight. This
Uneasyness would Soon produce an Agreement to live to gether, to Search for grains Herbs
fruits Roots and to chase together for Birds and terrestrial animals for food. or
possibly an agreement to a division of labour, the female to Search for Vegetables and
the Male to chase and hunt for Game, for their common stock of Nourishment and
Subsistance. An hollow Tree if to be found would be their common Habitation by common
consent, or a hut made of branches of Trees broken off for Stakes and covered with furn,
Moss, or Bark and carpeted and lined within with Furs and skins. This is a social
Compact, a mutual covenant made for common Utility, i.e for the , Start deletion, better , End, easier acquisition of the Necessaries,
Conveniences Comforts and Pleasures of Life. This is Law, Order, and Government. for Law
implies Government, order implies Government. The Simple uneasiness arising to one from
a breach of this order, or the painfull fear of disgusting or offending or even grieving
the other, would be a Sanction of Rewards and punishment to this Law. This alone is
enough to constitute Government. Among the first Acts of this Intercourse and
association it is probable the Male would be conscious on one side of a general
Superiority, the female on the other of an inferiority, of capacity I mean for the
common defence and procuring Subsistance and an Authority. A very Strict or Severe
Government w d not be necessary nor Usefull. But ever So
Slight an Influence or Authority assumed or conceeded is sufficient to constitute the
Idea of Government. The Power of the Man is clearly Superiour, his Wisdom w d soon be Superiour by his wider range of Observation and his
good Will to the Welfare and happiness of the Union would be equal to say no more. Now
Wisdom Power and Goodness united compose the natural and legitimate Idea or Theory of
Authority and Government is nothing more than Authority reduced to practice.

The Existence of Government from the beginning of Society and even
from the first Acts of Sociability, may be argued from another Topic. Subordination and
consequently Government is an universal Law of Nature, ordained by the Will of God,
through all the Tribes and Species of the Animal Creation. The Bees, the Ants, the
Doves, every kind of Birds, all sorts of Poultry, Sheep, Goats, Cattle. a Farmer with an hundred head of Cattle in his barnyard Sees a peaceful regular
society, and an established Government extending from the , Start deletion, great Prince , End, first Consul the Bull, through all his oxen Cows, Steers, Heifers,
down to his youngest Calves. Every one knows his place, or if he forgets it for a moment
the Magistrate of Nature Soon reminds him of it, by his irresistable horn. No Reason can
be assigned to shew that Men and Women are left by nature in a more unhappy Situation
than other Animals, and condemned to a mischevous Anarchy from their Beginning. A Glare
of the Eye, a frown of the Eyebrow, a movement of Anger, Ridicule or contempt in the
Countenance would after carry Authority with them & Constitute Government. If these
would not answer, We know that a Jogg, a Stroke, a Kick would supply the deficiency. and
if these would not do a Battle would decide the controversy.

As there is a natural Society and a natural Government, so there is
an artificial Society and an artificial Government. As our natural Couple became by time
and Observation better Acquainted with themselves and each other, with their mutual
Powers and Capacities of Body and mind, with their respective and mutual Wants [. . . .]
and Vegetables most Usefull and most hurtfull or dangerous to [. . . .] 3 became more constant regular and necessary and
so would [. . . .] 4 [exp]erience would
soon render both more artificial. Reason would every day Suggest Improvements in the
social Life, and at the same time Suggest the means of strengthening the Authority of
one Party, and increasing the docility and Submission of the other.

Without tracing the Rise and Progress of the natural Society &
Government of our natural Couple, through all their gradations, We may Suppose they
begin to have Children and as We can make them as fruitfull as We please We may suppose
they have two a year for twenty Years: or if this should shock you let them have twenty
Children in twenty years. I shall not Say with Grotius that a Right of Empire over
Children is acquired to Parents by the Act of Generation. 5 I See no connection of any right with this
Social Act. But the Instinct of Nature, of Love to the Child in the father and mother,
the absolute Power they have over it, the Capacity they have to cherrish and nourish it,
constitute an Absolute Authority, and more, not only a Right but a duty to govern it for
their comfort and its own preservation, Growth improvement Perfection and Happiness. for
their is no Certainty, no Knowledge no Science, more intuitive in my mind than this that
Wisdom Goodness and Power united constitute, Right, Authority and Government in all
conceivable Cases.

This Authority is common to both Parents. For there being by our
Supposition, but one couple in the World, there can be no dispute about Fatherhood or
Motherhood. If questions arise between Father and Mother about the manner of nourishing
cherishing cloathing, or educating a Child or the Children, they must be decided by
Reasoning and persuation, by considerations of prudence and Utility, Convenience or
necessity, and if all these Resources fail, the controversy would be settled as all
others are by the Supream Power, the highest authority of Government in the Family or
the Ratio Ultima. But Government absolute Government over all the Children, must be
exercised , Start deletion, over , End, by the Father or Mother or both in
Harmony from their Births, through the first, Second and third at least of Shakespeares
seven Ages. 6 Where then is your Society
founded in Wants without Government, all this While. I See no Symptom of any Society or
any Social Act, or exertion of Sociability without Government. Government grows out of
the Wants of the Man the Woman and all the Children, as soon as the Wants are felt and
before they can be Supplied.

I am &c

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