A friend thinks our Independence Day edition of The Editors podcast praised John Adams insufficiently:

I can’t believe the injustice y’all inflicted upon John Adams on the podcast. Washington gets flowers for willingly surrendering power, but what about Adams who unwillingly did it (and one might say more impressive that he abandoned the presidency he wanted to retain).

I also must put in a good word for Daniel Morgan, who, along with Hamilton, Greene, and Lafayette, was crucial in convincing Washington to stop fighting a conventional war and adopt an insurgency strategy, which Washington thought was dishonorable but accepted eventually.

And last, let us not diminish the tremendous services of Lord North, Lord Cornwallis, and Sir William Howe, without whose collective and individual incompetence we would have never become a country. Bravo, gentlemen, for your service to the cause of liberty!

Happy Semiquincentennial!