The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-10-03
LySCHBuRG, OCTOBER ,, lsla.
InlIN ADAMS.


cess sraCfifeS lred fDH, aud thai dtfedf makes
traitors of men whose bos6ms glow with
the most ardent patriotism. This Tact al
nuts Of as furcible application 10 the civil rs
IN the military transactions of the world,
Rom the highest operations OF goIernncnt
10 the most petty transactions OF 'iudivldu-
ais. Men are Influenced IN Their views Of
subjects more by heir result than by thcif
bearings. They are stall tunes more rea-
d. To defy the n1n who has attained the
summit of the ladder, either IN war, politics
or less important u,atters, no matter how
vicious the means which he pursued Ia
reach the einInener, az how despicablc his
character, than Ia bestow the need al ap
probation on him whose exeftons to attain
the same exalted station, lay pursuing Il
different and more honorable path, have
been unsuccessful, even though his charac-
Ter, Ike the ChcSaler Bayard's 5, should be-,
without fear and without fcproach." We
have never seen, IN citll liis, a stronger eX-
emplifcaton Of this fact, than in the history
Of the second administration of our general
government. So far, Indeed, hes this spirit
ouistripped itstifn rancor, that, even when
the animosiies which were originated aud
Kept alive by a furious and turbulent poll
,ical contest, had ubsided--when most Of
the principal combatants had descended 10
the tomb, and those vito remained on the
field of action, forgot their former icuds in
theirprcsrnt friendships, hcnrtlcss dema-
gogue ~ striving, by course OF conduct
as unexpected AS it IL unprlcciplcd, To re-
yive heartburnings against the presiding
officer of that administration, which bad
been partially if not wholly allayed by the
lapse of Yeas. But II may be urged rs il
has already indeed been limited, that the
publication of the private correspondence
of Mr. Adams, is not made with this view,
that, although this IS It's ostrnsib, design,
yet another person IS the object of attack Il
would be still less defeusiblc on this ground
Than the other because, as the author of
a." Marathon Justly observes, the sentiments
contained IN Il are not those Of The Youn,eI
but of the elder Adams !; and II the Israel
hish days nave not returned, when " the
fathers having eaten sour grapes, the chl-
dan teeth were sci on edge zee cannot
q Iceise what Influence they can b. cxpec
ted TO have against Mr., J q. Adams. but
We did not set out with an intention of al
ludlag u the secretary Of state. We will
wish the people to believe thai Mr Adams
Is not, nor over was, the unprlncipicd poil
tlclan, whose sole design was To elevate
himself and family 10 power, by the usr Of
unconstitutional means-aDd that he never
entertained disposition to overthrow tho
liberties of the country, as some Of the
enemies of his son have thonght prop
in these latter days. 10 iusiuualr-- hut
that, on The contrary, be MS IN 1903, the
same john adams who, in &c, threw
defiance IN the teeth of the British king
and lab'rrd necessarily, With Washington
and JelI, rson, and Hancock aud Samuel
Adams, for the freedom and prosperity Of
the American ColunlrS. We admit that
whist IN Office, hr erred grossly erred
But is he 10 be- decimatcd IL an lmperfec-
Ton Ia which all men are subject ; " Let
hun who is Tree from fault, cast the first
stone"
The 9Th M. of" Marathon,n which will
be found in subsequent column, proves,
that, If Mr. Adams, on retiring from power,
belonged not Ia the republican ranks, So
neither dill he belong 10 the fedgalists--
Tor ms sarcasms are not more pungeni, nor
ms structures more severe on the f1rner
than on the latter party. He had become
sick of thr lntrigues and secret opposition
OF his pretended friends, as he had of the
open and llllbtral abuse of his violent enc
mrs-he was weary of the turmoil of Of
fee, won with 40 much difficulty, and oc-
cupied at 90 much hazard. Distracted by
dlssentions al home, aad by insults from
abroad, ne matter what couise he took,
either AS To our foreign or domestic policy,
apowertuI and greedy faction was always
ready 10 pnnnce upon his measures, and IN
the helSht oi their rage, hesiiated not TO
attribute those which they condemned, to
motives as far from the truth rs they should
have been from the conceptions of those
who hazarded the dlsgraceful imputations.
lsIt wonderful, when he SAW the ranks of the
party 10 which he was attached. divided
among themselves on question of great
rnoment to the future prosperity of these
states-one portion oft holding the olive
branch, and the other hlandishing the torch,
that his conduct should have been marked
bysOmething like INDIGESTION that, at some
times urged by his hot-headed counselIors,
he dared To grasp powers as tremvndousin
Their nature, as they were repuguant tn the
genius OF our constitution? Admitting, AS
we do, that he has thus acted We cannot
nevertheless consrnt to inpeach his mo-
tses. The whole previous history of the
man, and is subsequent conduct, alike for
bid such a course. The assumption of Ma
rathon," above alluded TO, strongly corro-
h1rated by the following passage IN "rhe
Jesuit's Letters, written when party feeling
was at the highest state Of exaeerhation.
and, as,isevident, by 40 friend of Mr.. Adj.
ans, while Al the Same time, it will give
our readers an insight into the predominant
features of that genteman's character.
AT the commencement Of the revolu-
ton, Mr.. Adams stood forth Jealous,
resolute and useful patriot; and though his
services were confined u the civil depart.