One of the many reasons why I admire the Founding Fathers is the amazing capacity of many of them to get to the heart of the matter. This is on full display in John Adams’ “Liberty Will Reign” speech from the Adams miniseries.
The speech as set forth in the film was never delivered by Adams. It is spliced together from his writings. However, it is a good condensation of Adams’ belief that the rights he and his colleagues were striving to protect were inherent in the human condition, and not mere gifts from the King, that might be taken away by him at any moment.
Donald R. McClarey
Paul Zummo
Almost Chosen People 