Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-04-24
John Quincy Adams.


We alluded, briefly. week or two since
to the fact that our Legislature were about
to rescind the resolutions of censure, passed
by the Ohio Legislature of lS43, against
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS. For the purpose of
introducing a pleasant episode in the histo-
ry of the resembling resolution, we publish
the following from the Cleveland Herald
The resembling resolution was offered in
the House by R. F. Paine, Esq, now of this
city--then Representative from Portage CO.
and passed the House on the Both of De-
cember, 1914.
The resolution of censure against sthe cd
man eloquent was the work of such hands
as McNulty and Byington, and upon the vote
to rescind we notice among the nays the
name Of the notorious Jake Finn, and the
names of others, more reputable men, who,
we doubt not are at this day heartily asha-
med of their injustice towards the patriot and
statesman, Adams. The Senate adopted
the sane resembling resolution on the 2Ist
of February following.
Mr.. Paine has handed us the original let
ter from Mr.. Adams, thanking him and the
General Assembly for their act. The letter
is evidently the work of a physically weak
old man, yet contains sixteen pages. 1T
covers the entire ground of the ..Right of
Petition" and is precious legacy which
Mr.. Paine has carefully preserved in bo,k
form. 1t conClud IS as follows:
GAS a grateful return TO you for tie in
terest you have taken in these transactions,
| have believed it proper to make this COM
munication to you, fully disclosing the mo-
tives by VIII ch was actuated in presenting
the Haverhill petition, and some of the la
tent sources perhaps yet unknown ito you,
of that combination of parties in and out of
Congress which first in 1912 selected me to
be the victim of the Moloch Of slaver;, and
the Representatives of the American peo-
pie in Congress, and the Leg islature OF the
free people of Ohis, as the priests of the
grim idol for the consummaton of the sacri-
fee.
"N,r can | close without repeating the
grateful acknowledgement TO you for the
part you have takcnin the restoration to the
people OF this Union of their Right of Peti-
tion--a part never to be forgotten by
"Dear Sir, your friend or fellow citizen,
JOHN Quincy ADAMS"
Upon reading the thoughts of wisdom, and
of intellectual vigor and nerve, which are
clothed in the tremulous letters of physical
weakness, we could not but feel the force of
the remark made by a famous steamboat cap
tain. who heard and saw Mr.. Adams upon
his visit to this city, (and the remark bears
repeiting) "What pity a new hull could
not be built for that engine"
Immediately on the passage of the rescind-
ing resolution by the House, the individual
to whom tn flowing letteris addressed, who
was then in the Legislature, informed Mr.
Adams of the rescission of the resolution of
two years previous. This elected from Mr..
Adams the following reply. The letter
bears upon its face the evidence of Mr. Ad-
ans extreme age, and physical debility, and
is a treasure in itself. being a memento OF
the most virtuous politician and statesman
our country ever saw.
Hon. Benjamin S. Cowen, Columbus, Ohio.
Washington, Sd Jan'y, 1915.
Dear Sir:
You have not mistaken my
feelings in the belief that the resolution of
the House of Representatives of your noble
State, resembling on their part joint reso-
luton of preceding Legislature pronoun-
cling censure upon me would afford me er-
quisite pleasure. Enhanced as it is by The
generous kindness of your sympathy, and by
the high qualification of receiving the COM
muncation from you, no event of my life has
ever been to me source of more pure and
unalloyed delight.
| ask of you the favor to present to Mr..
Payne, the mover of the Resolution, my cor
dial thanks and the assurance of my CRATE
full sense of his personal kindness to me in
this transaction. He will find ts::roward in
itself; and trust the memory of it will not
cease with the life of, Dear Sir,
Your friend and faithful serv't,
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.