Page 82 - Beers With Our Founding Fathers

Beers with our Founding Fathers

Jefferson both died on the fiftieth anniversary of the ratification of
th
the Declaration of Independence – July 4 1826. Adams last words
were, “Thomas Jefferson survives.” It is said that the messenger

from Adams, enroute to Monticello to tell Jefferson, crossed paths
with Jefferson’s messenger enroute to tell Adams.

Two of the most important Founding Fathers had passed; they
lived long enough to see the invasion of their country by the former

mother country, England, in the War of 1812. That war would settle,
once and for all that the Unites States of America was a country of

the several free and independent states, and not colonies to a
tyrannical and oppressive empire. It would not completely settle

England’s desire to meddle in the affairs of their former colonies.
Adams and Jefferson also did not see the resolution on the issue of

slavery, or the absolution and extent of states’ rights versus federal
power. About forty years after their death, a civil war would bring

all that together. But first, a growing nation had several growing
pains to work through. Declaring independence and winning a war

for that independence was not enough.

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