"When people talk of the freedom of writing, speaking or thinking I cannot choose but laugh. No such thing ever existed. No such thing now exists; but I hope it will exist. But it must be hundreds of years after you and I shall write and speak no more"

In this quote, John Adams is expressing his suspicion towards the idea of true liberty in composing, speaking, and thinking. He thinks that this principle has never genuinely existed and does not currently exist. However, he keeps hope that it will one day exist, but not until long after he and the individual he is dealing with have actually passed away. This recommends that Adams sees the pursuit of flexibility as a continuous battle that may never be completely achieved in his lifetime. He likewise implies that the fight for liberty is a cumulative effort that will take numerous generations to accomplish.