約翰亞當斯和湯瑪斯傑佛遜還是恢復了友誼，雖然亞當斯沒有去參加傑佛遜的就職典禮。亞當斯對輸給傑佛遜非常失望，但傑佛遜宣誓就職時，亞當斯在哀悼他過世的兒子查爾斯。但是，通過一個共同的朋友的「外交」努力，約翰亞當斯和湯瑪斯傑佛遜開始互相通信，並在總統任期結束後也保持通信，持續了十多年。

在他們生命的最後一刻，兩人又回到了當年聯繫他們的一刻。兩個人都於1826年7月4日去世，那年也是獨立宣言發表50週年紀念日。 亞當斯享年90歲，傑佛遜享年83歲。傳說，亞當斯的遺言是"湯瑪斯傑佛遜還活著。"事實上，傑佛遜已經在幾個小時前去世。

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson did patch things up, despite the fact that Adams did not even attend Jefferson's inauguration. Adams was disappointed in losing to Jefferson, but was also grieving the loss of his son Charles when Jefferson was sworn in. However, after some "diplomatic" assistance from a mutual friend, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson wrote numerous letters to each other for more than a dozen years after both had left the presidency.

What initially united them reunited them at death. Both died within hours of each other on July 4, 1826, the Declaration's 50th anniversary. Adams was 90 and Jefferson was 83. It was said that Adams's last words were, "Thomas Jefferson survives." In fact, Jefferson had died several hours earlier.

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