Richmond palladium., 1848-03-15
EulOsy on the death Of John q
Adams.

the voice u. many waters. has come unto from
a sister Staie--,assachuset,s weeping for her
honored The State have the honor in
part represent, cace endured. with YOURS q
common suffering, b4tt,eu for 4 common cause,
ana reioiced ia common triumph. Surely.
then, 1t is meet that III this the day OF you. al
fiction we should mingle our griefs.
hen great man falls. the nation mourns;
when patriarch is removed the people weep.
Ours, my associates. Is no common be at.
The chain which linked our hearts with tie gifted
spirits of former times has beer ruGoiy snapped.
The lips from which flowed those living nd go-
nous truths That our tat..ers uttered closed in
death es, my friends, Death has been among
us. tie has not entered the humble cottage Of
scnle unknown, .snobie PEASANT he has knocked
audihly at the palace of nation! Ills tootstep
has been heard in the Hall Of state. lie has
cloven down his victim in the midst of the coun-
CHS CT people: lie has borne in triumph from
among you the gravest, wlsest, most reverend
head! All. he has taken him a trophy who
was once a chief over many States, adorned with
virtue. and learning, ana TRUTH he has borne ri
his chariot whee.sa renowned one Of the earth.
There was no incident in the birth, the life,
the death, Of Mr. Adams. not intimately woven
with the history of the land. BoTa IN the II light
OF his country's tribulation, he heard the first
murInurs of discomfort; he saw the first efforts
for deverance. Whilst yet little child, he
listened with eagerness to the whispers OF free
dom as they br-athed from the lips of her almost
inspired apostles he caught the fire that was
then kinded his eye beamed with the first ray;
he watched the day spring from on highs and
long before he departed from earth, il was
graciousiy vouchsafed unto him to behold the
etfn gence of her noontde glory.
His father saw the promise of the son. and
early leo him by the hand to drink Of the very
fou ntains of light and liberty ITSELF His youth
ful tn oughts were kindled with te i!ea!.sm OF
republic, whose living form and features ne was
destined to behold visiby. Removed at an early
age to u distant country. he there, under the eve
of his father, instructed in the rigid lore of
I hi mt llapt
was expanded by the conversations, and invi gor
atcd by the acute Gisqursitions, oil the Acadeint-
cians whose fiery zeal, even at that early period,
was waking up the mind of France to deeper
thoughts, bolter inquiries, and more matured re-
f'ecton--to result ultimately. as we all know,
IN terrific action. Returning to this country,
he entered into the cool cloisters Of the college,
passed through the various stages to acquire that
discipline OF mind which intense study can alone
/ impart; and thence, as he was about to emerge,
appeared those buds of promise which soon blos-
somed into those bushing honors he afterwards
wore ti.ick around him. His was not the
dreamy life of the schools; but he leapt into the
are ma Of activity, to a career of glorious M
uiation with the gifted sp irits of the earth lie
the efforts to place his country on Il deep
and stable foundation, where 1t now rests. lie
had seen the colonies emerge INTO states and the
States cem.uted into Union and realized, in the
formation of this confederated republic, all tina,
his ardent hopes had pictured out IN the Tecesses
of schools. Young as he then was, he contrib
utcd, by the energy of his mind and the vgor OF
his pen, to support the administration OF W ash
ington, who, we have )ust been told transferred
him at an early age to IA foreign court, scarcely
initiated INTO its diplomacy before his services
were requ red for another and more extended
sphere. Passing from that, he returned to his
own country, and was placed by the sutlrages OF
his State in the chamber Of the other end OF this
Capitol; and there, the activity Of his mind, the
freedom ofhis thought, the indepe ndence of his
acton, red him to his constituents for the
time being unacceptable, by uniting him to the
policy of Mr.. Jefferson He retired from the
halls of Congress-; but he went to gnobe
ease Werried with the tolls, heated with the
contests, covered with the dust of politics, he
withdrew to the classic groves of Cambridge,
and there he bathed his weary mind in the pure
stream of intellectual rest. Purified, refreshed
invigorated, he came forth, after stud y
and deyout prayer, to do his country service.
He sent Immediately to Russia, as has bee II
stated, rot to repose amidst the luxures Ct courts
or in the rich sal oons amidst the glitter OF lights
and the swell of voiuptuo Gus music, but to watch
the swell and play of those shadowy pillows W ith
which ali Europe keaved beneath the throes o!
the great heart of France.
Mr.. Adams and felt tina, the pulse of free
dom day by day beat feeber and feebier through
out the continent. He counselled the ministers
Of Russia. He was one or those that stimulated
them to wake from their topper, and he had the
satisfaction to behold, from the frozen reg ions o
the north, those mighty hordes pour cut upon
the sunny nations of the south to give deliver
ance to People, States, and Powers His own
country demanded his services, and he became
with Gailatin and Clay, mediator Of that peace
between two nations which we trust shall exist
forever. while the only contests shalt be those Of
good will on earth and mutual brothe rhood.
He went-as his father had gone after the frs
war CT the Revolution-upon the term lnation Of
the second war. to the Court of St. James He
remained not long before another sphere wa,
opened to him. As Secretary CT State for eigh
years, he fulfilled the arduous duties incident te
that high post in country just emerging from
r conflict To the highest office Of the people he
, was quickly raised; and how in that sphere ht
: moyed--with what ease. ability, and grace-ws
> all know, and history will record He crushed
10 heart be ath the rude grasp of prescription
, he left no heritage of widows cries or orphans
5 tears.
{ He d,srobed himself with dignity of the YES
lures of office, retire to the shades Of Qun
cy, but, in the maturity Of his Intellect, in tn,
viyor of his thought, to leap into this arena, anc
to continue, as he had begun. disciple,
dent devotee at the temple Of his country's free
dom. Now in this department he minstered t,
his country's wants We all know and have vii,
messed. How often have crowded into tina
2 aisle, aad clustered around that now vacan
s desk to listen to the counses Of wisdom d the
6 fell from the lips Of the venerable sage, cal
. al! member. for il was but Of yeste rday. Blu
what a change. How wonderous, how sudden
lis like a vision of the nj ght. That form whicl
We beleld but few days since is cold il
death.
= But the last Sabbath and in this Hall he vor
: shipped with others. Now his spirit mingie
i with the noble army of martyrs and the jos
made perfect in the eternal adorat lion of the i,v
J ing Cod 18th him ''this is the end of earth
! He sleeps the sleep that knows waking. II
is gone-and forever. The that ush-rs +
:. the morn of the next holy day. while it gds tn
lofty dome Of the Capitol, shall rest with sol
G and mellow light upon The consecrated spot be
meath whose turf forever lies the PATRIOT FATH
and the PATRIOT SAGE.
= Mr.. VISroN aad addressed the House:
Mr.. Speaker, said he } when the messenger
death enters this Hall, and bids Of com
away, it is custom to commit exclusively
Y colleague of the departed member the so
$ emn ceremony of its announcement. Usage re
= GU Tres more But the venerable man whoi
the destroying angel smote dow in our very pre-.
ence-the book of whose great life is now VIII
ten and misunderstood out far beyond the re-
e of US, upon broader and hi igh-r elevation. 1t
h.. H. ,ofM L. md L.