Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1831-02-02
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.

second President Of the United States,
and man of great talent, information,
and industry. Mr.. Monroe, after his ell
ovation to the Presidential Chair, is said
10 have discovered much sagacity IN The
selection Of his cabinet council or cxecu-
tive officers. These are the Secrcta-
res OF State, War, Treasury, Navy, and
Attorney General, all Of whom, with one
exception, possess the rare gifts Of nature
III no ordinary degree, and who haze al
ready rendered themselves conspicuous
III the walks OF literature, the field %. cl-
oqncncc, and on the theatre of politics.
Mr.. Adams has distinguished himself
in the paths of literature and politics.
The eayly part Of his life seems to have
been devoted to the acquisition of gen
cral knowledge, which has been subsc-
qucntly augmented by travel, observa-
ton, and reflection. lie was once at
tachcd to the party by whom his father
was chosen President, but very soon af-
ter the republican administration came in
To power, he was induced to change his o.
plnions, and to abandon what might have
been the prcjudices of education, for
principles which ! have no doubt he con-
ceivcd to be more consonant 10 his feel
ings, and perhaps more consistent with
his ideas Of liberty and independence.
Whatever may be said as to the motive
which produced the change, ! have no
hesitation in thinking that il, originated
entirely from principle, and that his feel
ings and sentiments were more in unison,
with the party he joined, than the one
he had abandoned The conduct hc has
since pursued has cvinccd the integrity
of his motives, and the sincerity of his
attachment to his party and his country;
and the confidence which that country
has rcposcd in him, is an evidence that
she also has been influenced by similar
opinion.
Mr.. Adams is in person short, thick,
and fat, resembling little III his face
the portrait Of his father, which you have
seen, and neither very agreeable nor
very repulsivc; his head is somewhat bald,
and his eve watcry, but black and PEN
etrating. He is between fifty and sixty
years of age, and seems TO be vigorous
and healthy. lie is regular in his habits,
and moral and temperate IN his life. To
great talent, he unites unccasing indus
try and perseverance, and an uncommon
facility in the transaction of business.
Though he has read much, and drank
'decp of the Picrian spring." he seems
not to solicit the character which litcra-
turc bcstows; and, what will seem cx-
traordinary to you, chooses rather to be
ranked among men of business than a.
mong men OF science.
Mr.. Adams is extremely plain and re-
publican, both in his manners and dress,
and labors to avoid alike the loolcry of
'lantastic fashion," on the one hand,
and the vul gar costume of affected &C.
centricty on the other. He is charita-
BILE, though formed, and possessing great
warmth and ardour of feeling under an
exterior of apparent coldncss. The gen
eral accuracy of his Judgment, and the
reciitudc of his moral principle, always
lead him to do what is right; and if he
err, his errors proceed more from the
want of correct information, than from
any improper bias, or any fixed design
to do what is wrong.
He is evidently well skilled in the rhct-
orical art, on which he has lcctUrcd, x
in which he displays considerable re-
search and ability. should infer that
his speeches while he was Il member of
the Senate were more correct and poll
shed, if they were not more eloquent,
than those of his coadjutors III legislation.
Yet, after all, there Is something more
required to complete an orator, than the
mere knowledge aud practice of those
principles which rhctoricians have cstab-
lishcd as the ground work of this art. If
there be an absence OF that peculiar
kind of talent; or want of that peculiar
enthusiasm, which propcls the mind to
embrace with ardour and delight the pro-
iession OF an orator, the most intimate
and accurate knowledge, or the most
perfect dcXtcrity in the use of the "rhct-
orician's TOOLS" will be inadequate to
produce excellence. And, however,
s!nltully n man may round his periods
and balance his sentences, select has
phrases or direct their harmony; without
ethereal and incomprohcnsiblc power
which gives animation 10 matter, sweeps
through nature like the tightening of
Heaven, and creates, aad cmbodics, q
uni"ids-hc will still bc cold, aud tame,
and splrlIloss; correct indeed, but irigid,
regular, and inScnsiblc.
In the higher walks Of cloqucncc,
where the passions are excited and act
cd on, and the whole mind wrought up
( 10 species of phrcnzy by weakening
the dominion of reason, MIR Adams did
not excel; but in close augmentation, iu