Chapter 8 Summary and Analysis

The letters of chapter eight range from May to October 1804. Jefferson's daughter died in April 1804, while he was president. He was full of grief. Abigail wrote him a letter on May 20th after three and a half years of silence. Jefferson was happy to begin corresponding with Mrs. Adams again. In another letter written to his son-in-law, Jefferson said that the only thing Adams had done to anger Jefferson over their friendship was the midnight appointments of the Federalists. Mrs. Adams heard the same point in her letters from him.

Through their letters, Jefferson and Adams were able to air their grievances. The Adamses were upset because Jefferson had lent credence to the smear-artist James Callendar, who attacked the Federalists. Mrs. Adams complained about Jefferson releasing Callendar from jail and the removal of John Quincy Adams as commissioner of bankruptcy.

But...