The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-09-26

in The civil and military AFFAIRS OF the Revolution have
There are 1--WE Of these . Revolutionary Presidents !"
Washington. John Adams, Jefferson Madison, and Mon
Now, the works OF Washington. Jefferson, Madison.
and Monroe-four out OF five OF these Revolutionary
Presidentsa coming from part OF the country, all
coming from single Stae-and IL is the highest honor
10 that State that she has included such cluster OF
stars in her own sky-the works OF these four Virginia
Presidents. repeat. have all been published BY Con-
gress, al an aggregate expense Of Ss $50 Congress
has appropriated for the works Of washington W.
7,000 and for those OF Mr.. Monroe, whose writings
have been purchased, but not yet published $2oo
He was The second President OF the United States He
the first Vice President Of the United States, and
the first person who ever presided over this body Sir
he was more than this Il was he who, in l775 nomi-
mated George Washington 10 be commander of all the
armies raised and to be raised in defence OF American
liberty was he who, in 1901, nominated John Mar
Il was he. above all, OF whom Thomas Jefferson said,
that che was the Colossus OF Independence on The floor
Of the American Congress" he was n public NE from
his earliest youth must cite little extract from
letter Of his, when he only twenty years OF age,
which his extraordinary and prophetic sagacty in
2 the future Of s as Writes II q
entered believe, upon the study OF law, under date OF
October l2th, l755-- i'll
Mr. BENTON. lin his seat) Before Braddock's defeat.
Mr. WINTHROP, (contlnuing) AS follows;
this new void for sake Perhaps this appar
emily trivial incident transfer the great seat Of empire
u, buen Gscs our people, according the exactest
puta'ion, will In another century bsoone more hume ons
than England itself Should this be the case since we have
may say all the naval Of the nation In hands.
|. will be easy 70 obtain Of the seas and then the
disunite'us."
He then goes on to say:
BE not surprised cha. am turned politician This
tions and all the dd Of war make the subject OF every
conversation. sit and hear, and, alter having been led
n m | retire.
aud laying things together form reflections pleasing
myself The produce Of one Of these rsvees you have
Such Of the extraordinary reveres" of John
Adams long ago as 1735as the senator from Missouri
has suggested, before Braddocks defeahe being then
young Of twenty years OF age. That prophetic sagacy
did not fail him at another period OF his life We all
member another OF these reveres in letter to his wife,
written on the very day on which the Declaration OF In,
dependence adopted by Congress- when he expressed
himself thus:
The day is passed The 4th Of July. l776, will be
memorable epoch in the history of America. am to
The great anniversary festival Il ought to be commemo-
rated The day BY solemn acts q devotion
shows games sports guns, bells. bonfres, and lumina-
on. fom end Of the continent the other from this
time forward forever"
Here was another illustration of that devoted attach
ment to American lberty-of that undoubing faith,
should rather say in The great cause of American free
dom, which inspired him with sort OF prophetic fore
sight Of the future, and which revealed to him he sub
stance Of things hoped for and the evidence OF things
unseen"
But. Mr. President am OBTAINING the Senate too long
We all know who John Adams was, and where he came
from and only desire to add word OF two more on
the precise subject before US have said that he was
member of the first Congress OF the United Colonies
I774, 1775 and 1776that Congress TO which Lord Chat
ham paid 80 striking and memorable compliment, when
he said:
That for himself he declare that he had studied
and admired the free States OF antiquity the STATES
of the world but that for sodiy oil reasoning forco of
gao and wisdom o. consIasioo, no body Of men could
stand before the American Congress-"
That was the remark OF Lord Chatham. Now to APP
ply H. John Adams was member OF this hrst Con.
gressof the three first Congresses. indeed-lha of In
dependence included These Congresses sat with closed
doors There reporters those days like those
before And there are, at this Moment no reports
whatever OF their proceedings except such as are found
ness and method which belonged TO him. kept journal
Of the proceedings OF the three first Congresses OF the
United Colonies, and among them the Congress OF In.
dependence as Mr. Madison did OF the convention which
framed the constitution OF the United States Indeed, Mr.
President the memorial which was presented here on
this subject well says the larger portions OF these papers
are made up OF materials OF singular interest to the gov
eminent and people OF the United States, eonprstng,
they do, reports Of The proceedings Of the Congresses q
I774 I775, and 1875, phich the priter conspie
Gus ACTOR and reports of which ernst noDsre else; and Of
diary and autobiography from he year 1850 the close
h public fs, nepsr ye pubtis.sd and o. ether scorks
tion Of constitution" Il is hardly too much TO add,
that the history OF John Adams is the civil history of
this country Tor the PERIOD oil MS pu0nc career
The memoralists go on 10 state the facts which have
already stated as 10 the appropriations made Tor the pub
LEGATION OF the works OF four out Of the FIVE first Pres
dents oil the United States They state that the publca
ton OF works OF this magnitude s too expensive for
private enterprise and they conclude by praying Congress
TO encourage them by subscription for thousand copies,
to be distributed among the States IN such way as the
wisdom OF Congress may decide. Without more words,
/ leave the subject TO the Senate.
Mr.. DICKINSON. That John Adams was one OF the
FIRST patriots, and Of the first minds believe no one de-
MES have often taxed my imagination when the 9TH of
July has come round TO deliver bis eulogies may do
il again. II do not lose what little ingenuity and imag
nation | may have over these financial questions,
Laughter 4 but will not do II The purchase OF
these papers which have been prepared by former Pres
dents 30 far as know, has come through the recon-
mendation OF the Committee the Library or other
committees. They have been examined and recommend
ed by Them and have been brought before in form in
which they could receive discussion This is thrown in
here, or proposed rather, TO appropriation bill, within
five days OF the end Of the session. IL Isl matter OF
consdeate legislation. This very fact that the honora
theme calculated 10 interest The imagination and to
vive many patriotic recollectons, shows that is not
matter that belongs 10 the intcacies and mathematical
questions OF a bill of finance, IL should be by itself
Will the senator inform me when the petition was
MI. WINTHROP. I think the chairman Of The CON-
mittee the Library state II has been before that
committee.
Mr. PEARCE. The petition was sent in last year.
and presented at the present session has been
before the Committee the Library, who have not
come any definite conclusion with regard 10 it, but If
the senator will allow me, will stale That they have
10 a resolution, 30 far as this They would not
recommend the purchase OF one thousand nor exceeding
five hundred copies; and would suggest TO the senator
rksaa Inntf nhort of