Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1859-02-19
From the Boston Atlas and Bee.
John Adams; the Federalist.
= TsECTURE BY THEODORE PARKEE

: LECTURE BY THEODORE PARKER
Tie lecturer commenced as follows:
In 1884, the General Court Of this Col
ony made : grant Of land at Mount
Wollaston to enlarge the town of Bos-
ton, and In 1896 the inhabitants of
Boston granted some Of this land in
lots to individual settlers or non-resi-
dents, who presently formed a church
and settled minister. In 1910 thew
were organized into a town called Balm
tree. find 40 acres of land granted
to Henry Adams. He died in l646,
and left an estate which was appraised
at 975.l3s. It consisted of land. a
house, which contained one kitchen.
one parlor, and one chamber in the
attic, wherein dwelt the eleven persons
that made up the family. The inven-
tory mentions three beds, which, Isup-
pose contained them all at night. He
left, likewise, one cow one heifer.
swine, some old books, and single
silver spoon. He was grandfathsr's
grandfather to the second President of
the United States It was not a very
conspicuous family then, though it hiss
borne two Presidents, and is stiIl strong
and hourlshing, promising | know not
how great flsRre glories. Applause
On the other side of the sea, ANTIGUA
ries find the family old and baroniai
Indeed, the name would justify larger
genealogical claim, for certainly the
Adanses ought to be an old family
and great; according to received &C
counts, they are the first in the world
Laughter
Jehn Adams WAS born OH the 9th
Of Oct. 1885. | have not much time
to speak Of Mr. Adams's character,
but will briefly refer to it, dividing it,
for convenience sake, into his intelIec-
tual, moral and religious nature.
He had great mind; quick, com
prehenslve, analytical, not easily salts
fed save with Ultimate causes; tenac-
ious Of its treasures, his memory did
not fail him until he became old. With
the exception of Franklin, I think of
no American Ill tho eighteenth century
who was intellectually his supetior; for
though Hancock and Jefferson, nav.
Jay, Madison and Morahsll, really sur
passed him in some high qualities, vet
none seem quite so great, OF the whole.
Ills understanding WAS ample. Though
constitutionally averse to regular, sa-
rious, and long continued attention, he
yet seriously gathered what lay before
him, ana fttingly reproduced it when
occasion required. He gathered
great amount Of various knowledge.
for he was sharp observer Of human
affairs. Yet he attended bat little to
the world of matter and save for the
economical purpose of agriculture, or
for the immediate enjoyment of it's
beauty, he never attended to the world
Of matter about him. lie had no eve
for science, no taste for it, except when
stimulated by the presence Of Frank
lin.
But he lacked method in his iatelIec-
tual processes. He had not tho genius
which IS It's own method. nor vet the
sober, systematic habit Of work, which.
though seemingly slow, is found At last
SO swift and sure. He did things ehel-
ter skelter.' Ia his administration as
President there WAS no rule for any-
thing He had a fair imagination
above the average Of the educated
men OF that tlnle, but not equal to his
understanding Besides he had small
opportunity for cnltivating it in early
life, or developing it in later.
Ejia rhilacnpl;o,J ID
turn appears IN all his writings. He
was bold in abstract speculation: al
ways bottomed his work on uItimata
principles Of nature He is often pro
found in his remarks; and think no
American politician has ever uttered
more profound truths than fell from the
mighty mind of John Adams. He
certainly has not a mind of the highest
class. It he was the first American of
that day after Franklin, he was second
to him by long interval, and he had
several competitors, not very far be-
hind. He was not quite well balanced.
he tipped this way now, then that.
John Adams had great moral virtues
and great vices. Able-bodied. com
pact and vigorous, though not always
healthy, ne had physical courage-in
scholarly men it is great virtue, and
rare. He says he meant to be sol |
der, but doubted whether he should
be a hero or 9 coward. There was no
occasion for the doubt. There is not
drop OF cowardly blood in those manly
impetuous veins. He inherited What
we call s'spArk," and we all know he
transmitted it. Loud applause. He
had moral courage in heroic degree. |
He was a conscientious man. and
sought the counsel of that still small
voice" which declares the law of the
universe, the eternal law, to whoever