The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-12-04

THE YOUTH OF J. @. ADAMS.

Il In his speech delivered at the Acton cet-
ebra,ion ia this State, October 20th, MIR.
Winthrop gave the following interesting ac-
count of an interview which he had with
our late yenerated citizen, John Quincy
i Adams, about FIVE or six years ago:
j 81, was on the floor Of the Capitol, not
far from the spot where he soon Afterwards
IfeIi.--The House had adjourned one day
somewha suddenly and at an early hour,
and il happened that after all the other
members had lei, the Hall, Mr.. Adams
and myself were left alone in our seats,
engaged in cur private correspondence.
Presently the messengers came 10 rather
unceremoniously to clean up the Hall, and
began to WELD that memorable implement,
which is so often the plague Of men, both
under public and private roofs. Laughter.l
Disturbed by the noise and dust, observed
Mr.. Adams approaching me with an un-
fo,ded letter 10 his hands. sDo you know
John J. Gurney?" said he. 81 know him
well, sir, By reputation; but Ibid not have
the pleasure Of meeting him personally
when he was 10 America" "Well, he has
been writing me letter, and have been
writing him an answer. he has been
calling me to an account for my course on
the Oregon qaestion; and taking me 70
task for what be calls my belligerent spirit
and warlike tono towards England. And
I should like to read you what ] have
written in reply"
| And then, sihe old man eloquent" pro-
ceeded to read 10 me, so far as it was nm
ished. one ofihe most interesting letters l
ever read or heard in my life. Il was
letter Of auto biography, in which ne de-
scrbeJ his parentage and early life, and
ia which he particularly alluded to tho
sources from which he derived bis jealousy
Of Grea, Britain, and his readiness to resist
her, even unto blood, whenever he thought
that she was encroaching on American
rights. He said that he was old enough in
| IT'S to understand what bis father was
about in those days, and he described tho
lessons which his mother taught him dur
ling his fathers absence in attending the
Congress Of Independence. Every day hs
said, after saying his prayers TO God, he
was required to repeat these exquisite
stsnzas of Collins, which be had carefully
Transcribed in his letter, and which he re-
cited to me with an expression and energy
which shall never forget-the tears
coursing down his cheeks, and his voice
every now aud then, choked with emo
/ liion:
"fiow sleep the brave, who sink to rest,
BY all their country's wishes bles:
! When Spring, with dewy fingers cold,
Returns TO deck their hallowed mould,
| She there shall dress sweeter sod
| Than Fancy's feet have ever trod.
By fairy hands their knell is rung,
| By forms unseen their dirge is sung;
There Honor comes, pilgrim gray,
| To bless the turf that wraps their clay,
| And Freedom shall awhile repair,
To dwell, weeping hermit, there.n
And there was another ode by the ssme
author which, be said, be was obliged to re-
peat, as part Of this same morning exer-
cise-the ode. believe, on the death OF
Col Charles Ross, in the action at Fonte-
noy, one verse Of which, with slight vari-
alton. would no, be inapplicable 10 your
own Davis:
sBy rapid Scheld's descending wave.
His country's VOW shall bless the grave,
Whero'cr the youth Is laid;
That sacred spot, the village hind
With every sweetest turf shall bind,
And Peace protect the shade"
Such, sir, was the education Of at least
one of our Massachusetts children at that
day. And though do not suppose that all
the mothers Of ITS were like Mrs Adams,
vet the great majori.y Of them, We oil
know, had as much pety and patriotism, it
not as much poetry, ond their children
we're brought up a, once in the nurture and
admoni,ion Of the Lord aud Of Liberty.
Died, in poverty and want, recently in
London, the author Of one Of The most ad-
mired songs Of the time-Alexander Lee.
His health, only is mentioned 10 the jour.
nails, as yet, but from private letter We
learn what we state above, and one or two
affecting circumstances in addition. A.
bou, a week before his death, he called on