The Hillsborough recorder., 1866-09-26
SPEECH OF
Hon. John Quincy Adams,

GRAND SON OF PRESIDENT JOHN QUINCY ADAMS,
Delivs ed a : srea, Union Meeting in Boston,
on the Iith instant.
A great ratification meeting Of the Ma
tionsl Union Convention at Philadelphia
was held 10 Boston on the evening Of the
llth. inst. The attendance was very large
and the spirit highly enthusiastic.
The Hon. John Q. Adams. son Of the
American Minister TO the Court Of st.
James. made . speech Of great power.
abounding in the most national aud states
man-like views, which was received with
great applause. We make the following
admirable extracts, and commend them to
the attentive perusal oi our readers and OF
oil .huse of our people into whose hands
this paper may fall:
Now what is this issue that we must
pass upon each Tor himselfi Il 10 simply
this: The msjority in Congress claim the
right and exercise the power of excluding
from all representation whatever the people
Of ten States of the Union until they estab-
lish TO its saiisfaction.a . proper practical
relation 10 the Union, whatever that may
be and the evidence Of this relation is to
be the passage Of an amendment to the
Constitution, dictated to them by portion
sfthe representatives Of q part OF the States
oi the Onion. We insist. on the other
hand. that. the war was fought 10 compel
the rebellious in the insurgent States TO
perform their duties to the Union, and that
as soon as the insurrection was subdued,
aud peace and order restored, ii was the
constitutional duty no less than the right
Of those States to send representatives 70
Congress, and that in case the .lelections,
returns. and qualifications Of such men,
bers are regular and correct. Congress has
no right to exclude them from their seats.
Applause We further protest that the
assumption by Congress OF pnwer no
where granted by the Constitution TO estab-
llsh an inquisitorial and revolu tionary trib
unsl TO examine, not the elections, returns.
and qusliiicstions' of any VI its members.
but TO pry into the private feelings, talk,
aad condition Of the people oi the ance in
surgent communities. with a view to ex-
slude States from Congress. is no better than
usurpation. (Appiause.) And ayerring as
We do that these States we're never out OF
the Union and could not be, we therefore
insist upon the immediate admission Of all
the loyal Representatives aud Senators
duly elected aud qualified to seats in Con-
gress. This, at least, is the issue offered
us to-day. aud TO tide over this election !;
but the Radicals who crack the loudest
whips over Congress delight in proelaiming
thar the only real final issue Is universal
suffrage for the negro. When that comes
hope TO live 10 discuss il; but tonight
LEI me adhere TO The proposition before us.
Now u one. could have had propheuc vision
at any time during the war, how astonished
he would have been 10 have seen through
the smske that great party which so res
slulely fought out four years OF dire warfare
to Pot down the heresy that the Union was
dissoluble. spending thousands Of millions
VI gold, and hundreds of thousands OF in-
eslimabiy precious lives TO maintain the
doctrine OF the supremacy Of the Constitu-
tiun IN all Its strictness, now strugglIng
desperately 10 retard a restoration oI the
Union. Une can hardly resist the super.
sutton that the evil spirits Of secession aud
dIsunion exercised at the South by the
point oil the bayonet had fed TO The Capitol,
aud entered into and possessed our rulers
there. (Cheers) Nor do | say this in any
spirit oi exaggeration, as you may realize
u you will but reeur for moment TO the
outbreak Of the var. The party in power
at the South claimed and exercised right
10 secede, because. they said. their rights
were endangered by the acts which the ma
jvrity who had just elected Mr.. Lincoln
would do as soon as he had fairly grasped
the power Of The government. and they de-
manded further constitutional guaranty Of
slavery In the territories as the condition
Of their remaining. II was In vain that the
majority protested that II had no intent Of