July 4^th, 1826: John Adams dies in Massachusetts, saying “Jefferson lives."

He didn’t know Thomas Jefferson died a few hours earlier, on that same day -- 50 years to the day from the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

The two of them were friends, then political enemies, then friends again.

Two men wildly different: Jefferson with populist devotions committed to democracy. He spent more than two weeks in solitude drafting the Declaration of Independence the previous month -- ensuring that it would forever be a rebuke to re-appearing tyranny and oppression. Adams was a federalist, concerned about preserving the Republic against the very revolutionary passions others embraced, leading them to legendary conflict.

But it took them both, along with the diplomacy of Benjamin Franklin and the leadership of George Washington plus the others in the cast to give us this great Republic.

Today, July 4th, we celebrate her unapologetically. We fight for her unapologetically.

We re-commit ourselves to celebrating our history and the ideals of the Declaration of Independence not because we’re perfect, but because we are committed to these ideals for all Americans, and proud of our history of fighting for them.

I hope you and your family have a blessed Independence Day.

For Liberty,