The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1821-09-04
MR.. ADAMS 4h OF JULY GRAFTON

.MR. ADAMS 4h OF JULY GRAFTON.
OF late years the honor properly the task Of
delivering Orations the anniversaries Of our indie
pendenoe has been entrusted to younger and less ms
tlnguished personages than Mr. Adams. Secretary Of
State-and has been courted affording asprants
for fame the favorable opportunities for Offering
themselves TO the public ascanddates for avors which
nave long been possessed by those of his elevated rank
and undisputed talents. That moderation ard forbear
ance, therefore, which is ordinarily exercised in
weighing the merits Of these productions cannot be ex
pected and would probably be received with dsdain
from man of Mr.. Adams transcendant genius and
extensive acquirements--His address has met a re-
ception widely different from different parts of the L.
States In some quarters it has been greeted with such
unqualified commentator we, really wish, and
should confidently have believed it richly deserved In
others il has encountered that condemnation which us
| tice to our own reputation demanded at our hands
In Boston it has been reviewed with merited severity
but in at once dspassionate and iudicious.
By the writer of the review il is considered timd de-
sertlon OF duty, 10 permit example 50 pemicous,
because exalted, to pass without apprehension
We here present several extracts from the Review,
that readers may Judge Of the relative merits of the
two productions.
1.-The Author of this Address holds the
second political station in our country he is
an experienced and able politician he for.
mery filed the chair Of The professor Of rhet.
orick and oratory, in the Oldest and best en-
dOwed literary institution in America and,
| what is still more, he has been for long time
looked up to as one of our most accomplished
scholars. 1t was therefore but matter of
course that the performance should attract
much more Of public attention, than is usually
bestowed on similar productions So far as
we have been able TO learn the opinion of those
qualified 10 judge on such subjects, we have
seldom witnessed with regard 10 any produc-
ton, sorer disappointment. Ii this feeling
were merely negative fit were merely the
case that air. Adams had not done as well as
his reputation has led US TO expect, we should
not think it worth while 10 say any thing on
the subject. But when it is thought that the
production is marked by positive aod glarins
faults we hold il right and proper, for sew
eral reasons, that those faults should be pointed
out.
"It is not our intention TO go through an
examination Of the opinions advanced in this
Address for as TO the greater part Of them
we shall hardly be thought 10 differ from Mr.
Adams. If, however, in the greater part OF
these opinions we see nothing TO condemn, we
are not aware Of many which call for any ne
culiar praise for their novelty OF originality.
Although most OF the topics Immediately con
DeCted with our national anniversary are some.
what hacknied yet we had thought that 9
politician of Mr.. Adams age, learning and
experience, would hardly trea Of any nation
al subject without giving US something
which by IFS maturity of thought, its compre-
heBsiveness and discrimination of view, and
dignity Of feeling, would have been dislin-
guished from the ordinary crowd Of perform
ances on the same occasion.
There is throughout constant strsning
after hrperbole, both Of thought and express
sion, which j. not only 70 be condemned ia
point OF taste, but which often Causes Mr. Ad-
dams when starting with correct idea 10 req
der il apparently otherwise, by his unqualified
and extravagant statement Of it. Thus, what
he says about The sympathies" appears 10
us WStdtilfs iIdi dhu fStsIdttlSus Ills tuSDIy
on this subject is certainly carried too far. and
would lead him to consequences, al which be
and every honest man would shpddeg After
representing patriotism rs merely an extension
Of those sympabies which unite ns to our re-
lations and families he says" But ihese
sympalhies car meyer eKisi for country we
have never SEEM The ties of neighbor-
hood are brken Up. those Of friendship can
never be formed. with al intervening ocean !;
and The natura! ties of domestic lie. the all
subduIDg symPatbes Of love, the indissoluble
bonds I'll rrisge, the hesFt-riFeted kindlness
Of consequently. gradually witheT and decay
in the lapse Of few generations. All the ei-
| emests which form he basis Of 5ast sympathy
bstwesp the ins'idusi and BIS country. are