The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-10-22

From the Ne,o York Journal Of Commerce.
unpublished Letters OF John q, Adams.
We arc permitted to publish the following let
tiers from JOHN QuIsoY adams to RoBEaT WALSH,
now the Paris correspondent of the Journal Of Com
nrcs:
WAsHINeros, Ia May, 1927.
RoDERT WALSH, jr., esq.,; Philadelphia:
MY DEAR STA: am mortified at finding myself
obliged to send you an apology instead OF fuih-
ment Of my promise. Every moment OF my lei.
| sure for more than a month has been occupied
upon the subject, and | have written an article
containing as much man uscript az had led you to
expect. But you well know how all fruitful sub
jects swell under ones hands, and where ex-
pected to finish have not got half through. The
article embraces a review OF the policy and pro.
ceedings both of Great Britain and the United
States, relating to the colonial trade from the pre-
iminary articles Of peace in November l7S2
down to the present day. 1t is of course mere
drudgery, but have now brought 1t down to the
peace of Client.
That period forms an epoch in the history, and
it 10 only in the sequel from that TO the present
time that the great majority OF your readers will
the squabbling between mother and daughter has
only begun, and shall not soon the last Of 1t
believe it will therefore be useful to travel back
a prim0rdia yerum, and show the people OF our
country how it was in the beginning, is now, and
l fear ever will be, in the purposes OF our mother
as to the matter of colonisl trade.
! had already some misgving that should
be cut short for time when requested you to
be provided with article for your neat number
in the event Of disappointment from me; did
hope, however that should be able to get through
before the Goth. ain now Satisfied that il will be
impossible, and must therefore ask your indul-
gence to the article for the number alter the
next If my health should hold out, you may be
sure of receiving the article by the first of August
when hope it may not be 40 utterly unworthy OF
public inspection "a il would be now II will pro-
badly not be much longer for the delay, which
shall employ to retrenoh and abrdge as much as
to enlarge. Yours, truly,
(Signed) J.QA
WAsHINaTOs, November 8, 1927.
RoBERT WALSH, jr., esq, Philadelphia:
DEAR SlR: ! must abandon the hope of being
able to furnish you continuation Of the article
upon the colonial trade question in time for the
question itself has changed it's aspect. II the shuf
fling casuistry Of Mr.. Canning had not been sutti.
GENTLY exposed while he lived, 1t would be utterly
useless to chastise it now that his gbes and his eers
consigned to the silence of the tomb. 1t is now,
perhaps, misfortune for that he died he did,
for in the last month of his life while his difficulties
at home were thickening upon him, his tone and
his policy had undergone a change, and mis- mind
was running again upon the naturalities of afieC
ton between the mother and daughter
He continued, however, infiexible upon the CO.
lonial trade question, and do his successors.
They are controlled by the shipping interests,
which will prevail until the interest of the planters
shall raise counter clamor, or till some more alb
sorbng interest shall agtate the public mind and
leave them at liberty to act upon this subject more
for their own real benefit and for ours than they
can at present. The second part Of the article in
your Revisto, If ever written, must treat the cub
;ect differently from what it should have DONE lift
had appeared with the fret; indeed at any time
before the death Of Mr.. Canning. 1t would answer
nm tn mi in wrO M
pose here, because it has been done already by
others. No purpose in Europe, because trammeled
as the new Ministry are and more likely within
year to shiver into atoms than to hold together,
they could not if they would trace back their steps
again upon this point at present.
The sequel of your article would therefore be
perhaps more reasonable the next summer than
now. The consequences Of Mr.. Huskisson's back
ward march are not yet fully developed. They
are, however, and will be, gradually disclosing
themselves. The Governor of st. Kite has already
been forced to open for three months the ports of
his islands, by hurricane. Our trade with the
West Indies has been very little diminished by the
introduction, our revenue not at all Next sum-
mer we shall be able to argue the question more
auec eonnaissanes de cause. and perhaps may have
to address more listening ears. give you, 1t may
be, insufficient reasons for the postponement, which
you may, il you think fit hint at in note to your
next number-but the reason above all others is
that cannot prepare the article for you in season.
Csigned) j. q. ADAMS.
WAsHINaToN, December, 1873.
r. WALSH, esq.,, Philadelphia:
MY DEAN STA: OF the Cunnin CHAM correspon-
dence what can with propriety say? That was
theirs letters full of the tenderest affection and
parental partially for me? Be it go. These ex-
pressions of his regard and sympathy were as much
unknown to Inc as to the public, till after the death
of w. Cunningham, last May. had known VIII.
liam Cunningham in my youth; but since went
to Europe in 1884 had never to my recollection
seen him but once, and that was at my fathers
house in 1904. had no correspondence with him;
and although ! have an indistinct recollection of
having heard that in the winter Of lS0S-9 he was
endeavoring Intellectually to obtain the publication
in the Boston Palladium, Federal newspaper, of
some essays in commentator of me, neither de-
sired nor thanked him for these favors, nor did
know the motive by which they were inspired at
that time.
The correspondence as published is garbled
sailed for Russia in 1902 the 9th of August There
10 a letter from Cunningham, written about fort
night before that time, in which, noticing my ap-
preaching departure he hints wish to GO with me.
Neither his letter nor his wish was communicated
to me, and that passage in his letter is omitted from
There is omitted also passage in my fathers
Lost letter to him. which discoses the cause of Cum
ningham's trcachery. 1t was because my father
declined to recommend him 10 Mr.. Madison for an
appointment to Office. The patriotism of the son
linched from the publication of these passages
As to the publication itself, it ia a very simple
case OF confidence betrayed; and, as l attribute
much Of William Cunningham's baseness to par
tal insanity, have doubt that bis sons had the
same source, with the consent Of Romeo's apothe-
cary. The public sentiment appears to have done
full justice to the dishonesty of the publications but
of what is public, eectioneering partisans will
make what use they can without inquiring through
what channels it became 30.
! am very much disposed to rely upon the sound
sense and honest feeling of my countrymen. If
their minds are susceptible of being prepossessed
against me by the writings acts of others, to
which was not even knowing, how can l xpect
they would listen with favor to any thing that or
my friends could say in my defence? The plea of
not guilty is itself an absurdity when the charge
against you is not for what you have done your.
self, but for what others without your knowledge
have said Of you. cannot believe it will have any
permanent effect, but if it has, much the worse
perhaps for me-and il may be none the worse for
the country-I am bound at least to hope SO; and
will do my best to perform my duties.
If there was any thing in the correspondence
which could bear with justice unfavorably upon
my character, ! should deem it no defence to say
it was divulged by trsachery. As respects it is
irnmaterial how the facts became public. 1t is no
my confidence that has been betrayed. Say there
10 nothing in the book for which can Justly be
called toanswer before any tribunal-even that of
Heaven. When charges haze been brought against
| has