New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-04-08
OR ALTON
on THE btAIH Of
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.
DELIVERED BEFoSE THE
LEGISLATURE OF The STATE OF NEW-Y0RK,
AT ALBANY.
On the 9th day Of April, ISIS,
WILLIAM II SEWARD
WILLIAM H. SEWARD.
DELIVERED BEFosE THE
On the 9th day

WE are in the midst OF extraordinary events.
British American Civilization and Spanish Ameri-
can Society have come into collision, each in its
fullest maturity. The armies Of the North have
penetrated the chspparels at Palo Alto and Resa-
de la Pama-psssed the fortresses Of Monterey aud
rolled back upon the Heart Of Mexico the unayail.
ing tide of strong resistance from the mouniain-sde
OF Buena Vista Martial colonists are encamped on
the coasts of California, while San Juan de Ulushas
fallen, and the invaders have swept the gorge Of
Cerro Gordo-carred Puebla and P erote, and plant.
ed the banner OF burning stars and evermuluply
ing stripes on the towers Of the city Of the Aztecs
The Thirieth Congress assemblies in this con.
juncture, and the Debates are solemn, earnest and
bewildering. Interest, Passion, Conscience, Free
dom and Humanity all have their advocates.
Shall new loans and levies be granted to prosecute
still farther war so glorious, or shall it be abandon
ed 2 Shall we be content with the humiliation of
the foe, or shall we complete his subjugaton
Would that severity be magnanimous, or even
Just 7 Nay, is the war itself just Who provoked,
and by what objectionable offence, this disastrous
strife between two eminent Republics, so scanda-
lous to Democratic Institutions Where shall we
trace anew the ever-advancng line of our empire
Shall it be drawn on the line of the Rio Grande, or
on the summit of the Sierra Madre or shall Mex
lean Independence be extnguished, and our Eagle
close bis adventurous pinions only when he looks
of upon the waves that separate ms from the To-
dies Does Freedom own and accept our profuse
obi atoms of blood or does she refuse the sacrifice
VIII these conquests extend her domain. or will
they be usurped by ever grasping Slavery What
effect will this new-b born ambition have upon our
selves1 Will it leave the virae to continue the
career of social progress How shall we govern
the conquered peopel Shall we incorporate their
mingled races with ourselves or rule them with
the despotism of proconsular power Can we
preserve these remote and hostile possessions, in
any way, without FORGETTING our own blood-bought
heritage of Freedom
Steam and Lightning, which have become docile
messengers make the American People listeners
to this High Debate, and anxiety, and interest, in'
tense and universal, absorb them all Suddenly the
Council is dissolved. Silence is in the Capitol. and
Sorrow has thrown its pail over the land What
new event is ths' Has some Cromwell closed the
Legislative Chambers or has some Cesar return.
Ing lTOu us Puo'S' WIZ
seized the purple, and fallen in the Senate beneath
the swords of selfsppointed executioners of his
country's vengeance Mo- Nothing of all this
What means then, this abrup, and fearful silence
What unlocked for calamity has queled the debates
OF the Senate and Gained the excitement OF the
People An old man, whose tongue once indeed
was eloquent, bat now through age had welnigh
lost its cunning had fallen into the swoon of Death
He was not an actor in the drama of conqaest-nor
had his feeble voice yet mingled in the lofty arsu'
ment-
a grey haired SIRE whose eye Intent
Was on the visoned Future bent
And now he has dreamed out at last the troubled
dream of life Signs OF unavailing grief ascend to
Heaven Panegyric fluent in long stifed praise
performs its office. The Army and the Navy pay
conventional honors. with the pomp CT national woe
and then the hearse moves onward. lt rests APP
propristely on its way in the Hall where lndepend-
euce was proclaimed and again under the Dome
where Freedom was born. At length the Tomb OF
john ADAMS opens to receive Sos, who also
born a subject of King, had stood as Hepresen-
tatve of his emancipated country before PnnciPali-
ties and Powers and had won by merit and worn
From that scene so impressive In itself, and
impressive because it never before happened, and
can never happen again, we have come up to this
place surrounded with the decent drspery OF puo-
lie mourning, on day set apart by authority 10
recite the History of the Citizen who 10 the rlPe-
ness of age and fullness Of houors, has thus de-
scended to bis rest IL is fit to do so, because Is
by such exercises that nations regenerste their
early virtues and renew their constitutions. All
nations must perpetually renovste their virtues
and their constitutions perish. Never was there
more neeu ~ ISno'ass ssrs Insh ho"' "nen "e
seem TO be passing from the safe old policy OF
peace and moderation into q career OF conquest and
martial renown. Never was the daty OF preserv-
ing our free Institutions in all their purity, more
obvious than it is now, when they have become
beacons to mankind in what seems TO be general
! dissolution Of their ancient social systems.
The history Of JoHS QUGscY ADAMS 10 one that
opens no new truth in the philosophy OF virtue for
there is no undiscovered truth in that philosophy
But is a history that sheds marvellous confrma-
ton on maxims which all mankind know and yet
are prone to updervalue and forget. The exalted
character before was Grmed by the combination
of virtue courage sduity and niodesty under ia
vorable conditions with native talent and genius,
and illustrates the truth that, in morals in na-
ture simplicity is the chief element Of the sublime
JoHs QuIscI ADAMS was fortunate in his lin
cage in the period, and in the place Of bis nativity
in all the Circumstances Of education in the age
and country in which he lived in the incidents az
well a. the occasions Of his public service and in
the period and manner OF his death. He was a de
scendant from one OF the Puritan planters Of Masss
chuse,ts and Son Of the mostntrepid actor in the
Revelation of Independence. QuScr, the place
of his birth, 10 plain bounded on the West by tow.
ering granite bills, and swept withou. defence by
every wind from the ocean Its soil in apsient
times was as sterile as its climate is always rig
orous
Born on the eleventh day Of July, l7s7, in the
hour of the agitation Of rebellion and reared within
sight and sound of gathering war. the earliest DO
litcal ideas he received were such a. JoHS ADAMS
then uttered: I'VE must fight" Sink or swim
live or die-survive or perish with my country
10 my analterable determination" A mother fer
vently pio1s, and eminent in Intellectual gifts, di
.~xs.1 ,r,,h v,ora than r~ssarnsl sss1n;tv sn1 a.