The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-10-03

MI IL
ing his cnuutr, Ia Europe on several mo.
menious missions, aud being au individual
nf prrpandrr ding influence III TIM states "l
New England, thr presidency deNol'ed on
MIN afterN lshingtuu's reilrenieni,astt were
rather rs = rhatter of rnutine aud reward,
than GA account of his superior fitness Tor
the situation. " nan can be greet, who
! is not greater than his tort ne nor does
i any weakness more dcservedly lueur con
ienirf than the intosIcailnn "l success
/ lIalrd by his election, Nr. Adams lust ths
cqummiiy, mhifh was, perhaps, The hrst
requisite for his place. Wanting, besides,
lhr personal hit that uprcs5dent should
Possess, when the Impulse that carried hun
Into Office sabsidcd, rs il soon did with the
iniatuatlon thai followed, II became evident,
that neither himself, his cabinet nor the
people. were under his government, dad
! that his short lived power was on The wane.
] \ considerable sfction Of has oon party iodS
! his opponents among wtopl The most con-
i spiruol0 and influential Tds General Ha.
! milton, n man of splendid and versatile IA
! lents Of 4 romsnlc temper and noble sense
uf honor, hd mprudcni, and hating anu
dcspising the president. On the other
hand, his antagonists were managed hy a
leader Of con8ummatc skill, IN whom thu
whole opposition rcnosed implicit eou1.
deBcr aud Who WAS every Way superior ~
Mr. Adams N the art. Of popularity. lie
suffered moreover iIom comparisons with
Washington OF a grand and graceful
person, august aud commanding, the bitter
knew heW bc gracious without relaxing
his native dignity, and To maintain -
elevated Official rank without the gnnds ~
glare oC royalty. Rut Nj. Adams had
none OF these advantages. His presence
was neilhor graceful nor imposing and hls
manners were sometimes abrupt aud rtpul
sivc. Thus deficient in some of the quail
featIons for command, though he undonbt-
edly ealoeyd many others, thwart.d in his
own party, and opposed by skllful adver
safy, he proved unequal for the task, aud
va superseded on the expiration of the
first term l,E winch he was chosen. He
had indeed % contend with no inConsldcra-
he difficulties, aud the tide OF popular
opinion was setting strong enough perhaps
10 have carried him oil, without any deme.
rits of his own.
I" Bat Mr. Adams can hardly BE- account
cd a man of the first stamp. hiegritB IN
daStJy, experience and ertensfue Information
qualifications of the first impression for
public places, he certainty possessed +; aud
had Inc been content To move in sphere
for winch he WAS fitted, elevated, bnt not the
most elevated, hc might have lived prospe-
,ously, aud died with an enviable repuia-
ton. Bat seduccd into regions where he
was incapable of shining, he began to dc
cline almost rs soon - he treapasaed on
them. Towards tin close of his period
When the manifestation Of dissatisfaction
began to be alarming, II was said he made
unhecomlng sacrifices to propltiatr popu-
'ar'ty, which served only to multiply his
enemies, aud hasten and confirm his fall
l. tine administration Of governments there
1nl unlrequoDtly occurs a dilemma, where
II ls extremely perpleXlns 10 determine
"h"thcr Ia advance or recede. But there
proh bly, nes WAS an eNeeucy of is sort,
ahrna ame serving abandonment was not
mo hazardo sthan an iudrpendcutpers
sHr,nco IN unpopular measures.
g In the relations of private life. MIR. Ad-
ans WAS always amiablc and exemplary /;
1iccaonatr in his family; stead, and IN
5enuou, IN his friendships ; punetliious IN
the obser, nee at his engagements If re-
lgious hahiis,& few, if any wees incapable
aflulfignr, 4 deficient even IN that address.
which IA often 80 necessary, and seldom
miss, ma person called To act a dislin-
soished part HIS 'oue Of country was ar
3eat and high.ioned. He had knowledge
but more Of books than meh. He hat
seen grral routine of public business but
ms acqun emrIlts We're not practical. Van
lty wos his predominant failing aud tho
his judgment was IN general good, a sort of
imbeclIlly hung about ii, like ivy round an
oak, affecting all the measures of his ADM.
nlsiralion.
Az Madame dc Seyigne says Of ono or
her lends, his good and had qualities were
mixed up prlI.mell together and thes,
never could answer their design without
NOR or less lhwartlng from the others.
" Yet has administration lraS more unfor
tmat' for hinsey and h,s pa1ig than for
has country: not SO Ill advised, rs instead
" executed, ending as much too low as it
began too high is has career icaS unsuc.
ceSYii, has annals are obScuea and indeed
il may BIZ doubted, whether his party, a.
'uch, viii ever recon cr the defeat they sus
,alned under his auspices. Bm he must
olpayS .tfdhe consolation Of haping been
ForeHcd by principies The least ,oorthy of
rh'ch toaS nothing worSe than ambition a
fault, which one of the most celebrated
ancient writers and politicians dcsignatesa as
piiium prepiuS pirtuti, the vice nearest 10
virtue. II, as has been thought, the aggran
dlzement of his own family was bis flavor
lie object, he at least associated their exal
tatipn with that Of his country aud as a
great poet has said,
When men aspire,
It's but a spark too much of heavenly FIRE"
The following contrast between Mr.. JEFF
lerson and Mr.. Adams is drawn with
mastery hand. II IS derived from the
same source, and places Mr. AS claims to