John Quincy Adams Free Frank

Object Details

This humble envelope, in which John Quincy Adams mailed a speech he made in the House to a fellow Massachusetts Whig, illustrates three hallmarks of 19th-century congressional life. First, it was a common practice to distribute copies of one's House speeches. Second, this missive illustrates the long-standing ties within states and political parties—the addressee, Russel Freeman, had been active in Adams' Whig party for decades. Finally, the upper right corner of the envelope bears Adams’s signature and the word “free.” The privilege of sending official mail free of charge was granted to Members of the Continental Congress in 1775, and Members used it to communicate with their far-off constituents.