St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-02-17

ly, impctuous veins. He inherited
what we call "spunk,' and we all
know he transmitted it. Loud ap-
plause. He had moral courage in a
heroic degree.
He was q conscientious man, and
sought the counsel of that "still, small
voice." which declares the law of the
universe, the eternal law, to whoever
listens. He could not understand that
a kings command should rule the con-
science of the subject. He had a clear
conception Of justice. Vcracious, out
spoken, he had an utter hatred of lies.
assembling and hypocrisy in every
form and not only in the abstract,
but he hated liars, hypocrites and dis
semblers in the concrete, as he needs
must A.; lie in the abstract does not
exist. He was terribly open, earnest
and direct, and could not keep his
mouth shut. He knew this. Once he
went with some friends to see the
great picture of Washington, at Fan
uell Hall. Some one remarked upon
the firm, well-set mouth. at looks
as if it could keep secret so he
could" said Mr.. Adams :" but" with
his cane tapping his own bust, THAT
d-n fool never could. Loud laughter
and applause.
Mr. Adams had strong temptations
to excessive Indulgence in animal pas
siOns but he never yielded to the
temptation, and in his old age he
proudly writes, No virgin or matron
ever had cause to blush at sight of
me, or to regret our acquaintance"
Here he was greatly the superior of
Franklin, Jefferson, Hamilton, aye, of
Washington himself. These are great
virtues. Few politicians, or other
men, can count so much
But he was ill-tcmpercd, "sudden
and quick in quarrel" He was not a
good judge of character; he often sus-
pccted the noblest men, and put cred
ulous faith in the mean and deceitful.
Intensely ambitious Of place and pow
er as he was, he yet always sought to
rule his desire by his duty. But if he
sought only excellent things the spirit
Of search was not always commenda-
bic, his motive selfish, his manner
harsh. He was not a magnanimuus
or noble man. He was suspicious and
jealous Of the noblcst of men before
him i'll social rank and above him in
power. He attributes mean motives
to all mcn--oftcn to the noblest in the
land. He does this in his earliest let
ters and in his latest. \ round head
ed man, he was constantly q fighter.
This appeared in his diary, and in his
newspapers articles before the revolu-
tion and after it even in his own au-
tobiograhy, writ in his extreme old
age. lie was violent in wrath, which
when reused, nothing for the moment
stayed. He was indscriminating rs
to the cause Of it, 1t might be the
members Of his Cabinet at the seat OF
Government or his butcher at Quincy
who brought in his bill.
Impatient of opposition, and greedy
OF results, he was most intensely dcsir.
Gus of honor and applause At Paris,
in 1872, he was handsomely compli,
mcntcd for his success in Holland, and
he writes in his journal A few of
these compliments would kill Frank
lin if they came to his ears Laugh
ter. Franklin would have thought
of them as a schoolmastcr thinks of a
compliment paid to one of his pupils
Yet, great as his vanity was, | think
it never bent him aside from his duty
Loving the praise of men, he never
once stopped for it never once hesi
tated to do even the most unpopular
act, if he was sure he was right ant
he never bowed that head to escape
the abuse that came from doing the
right thing.
Yet he was intensely arrogant
Claiming SO much for himself, he
abused his rivals. OF Samuel Adams
and John Hancock he writes, on one
occasion: They will be sure of al
the loaves and fishes of the National
and State Governments, as they hope
\ most atrocious calumny. He speaks
sneerlngly of John Hancock, as "a
man without head or heart-a mere
shadow of a man and yet, Governor
of old Massachusetts !" lie did not
like to hear the praises of Washing
ton. One day he dined with com
pany of gentlemen in town joining
this. After the dinner a clergyman
wished to help him on with his cloak
lie objected, but the Clergyman said
Il cannot do too much for you, whel
| think what you and Washington
have done for the country" Wash
ington and me- growled out the oil,
man, don't let me hear that again
Washington was q dolt !" 1t was ;
momentary spasm of wrath coming
from that rash humor which hi,
mother gave him. or that came from
somewhere else. At other times h.
did justice to Washington, but always
a little coldly, for neither liked tn,
other much.
Mr. Adams had strong religious
emotions but must pass over wha
| had written on this theme. He wa
not what is called an eloquent man
He had no rhetorical tricks no trap
for applause no poetic images moth
ing of what halfeducatcd ministers
sophmores and editors call "tine writ
ing," what schoolgirls name "perfect
ly SPLENDID! Laughter. But h,
had strong sense, philosophical opin
ions, consideration and readiness o
thought the form is often defective
misshapen--the substance is always
strong and good. Demosthenes sale
"the first thing, the next thing, ans
the third thing in eloquence is energy,
and John Adams had it to the full ex
tent that Dcmosthenes wanted. Ye
scarcely any of his speeches are left
Their fame survives only in tradition.
He was an intense patriot, and new
er hesitated TO sacrifice his own deal