The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-12-25
Hon. John Quincy Adams, of Mass


a sshousehold word" throughout the land.
As the leader of the conservative party
during the late contest in Massachusetts,
although not achieving victory, he shook
the stronghoIds of Radicalism to their
very centre, and effected much in the
cause Of liberty. In u speech recently
delivered at Concord, New Hampshire,
this eloquent champion of the Constitu-
ton delivered telling blows against the
policy misnamed reconstruction which is
now holding sway over ten States. We
know that some extracts from this speech
will prove acceptable to a large majority
of our readers, and herewith append
them. The Charleston Courier, in review
ing this effort Of Mr.. ADAMS, thus states
the positions assumed by him:
First. That the Constitution contains
within itself the only true and sufficient
remedy for the settlement of the present
and the hopes of the future.
Second That the plan of Congressional
r, construction is SO averse to the elements
and principles of right, that they are
founded upon the bayonet for their ex.
istence, SO alone they can be supported
by its force, that their only natural effect
is an intenccine war, and that the public
veal demands that its action should be
reversed
Third. That the whole assumption of
jurisdiction by Congress, over the subject
Of suffrage, is without authority, and out
side ni the Constitution.
Fourth. That the great and essential
need of the whole land, is u peace and
fraternity. alike to the North and the
South, within the protecting embrace of
the Constitution.
With the above summary, the reader
can appreciate the following extracts 1t
is proper also to state that Mr.. ADAMS
has been connected with the Republican
party until recently:
"More than u year ago says Mr.
Adams, 81 thought the Republican party
was going wrong, and | said SO when
called on to say something, and l SAID 1t
as inoffensively as l could. | thought
then. as I think now, that President
Johnson's policy was the safest, the
spccdicst, and involved the least possible
tampering with the Constitution"
| bail as gladly as the most philantro-
pic of our sentimental statesmen every
noble aspiration. every earnest effort to-
wards better and grandcr development
of personal and national life. The con-
servatism Of reaction and retreat as an
nltimatum. reject as curtly as they DO.
But do say that the leaders of the Re-
publican party have gone too far and too
i;st, that they have missed their way,
and are now houndering on after the BAT
fling Willo'-the Wisp of the swamp and
the slough. not marching steadily towards
the beacon on the hilltop. They have
mistaken the tallowdip OF their own
making for the bright lamp of experience.
In one word. while sympat!iise with the
end they would obtain, | reject the means
by which they seek to reach it. In my
view, not only is the Constitution of the
United States amply sufficient to remedy
the dislocations Of the war, and secure the
permanent and prosperous reorganization
of tho Union, with all the essential re-
forms which free polity can demand,
but, in my Judgment, we can scarcely at
tain the ends We all desire in no other
way.
But instead of that, day after day the
extreme men assumed more dominant
airs, and exercised more despotc rule. 1t
became crime to even whisper dissent,
and independent thinking was party trea-
son. So far from asserting restraining
influence upon the hcadlong career of
their acknowledged leaders, the moderate
Republicans allowed themselves to be
bamboozlcd by an entirely irrelevant per-
sonal quarrel between these men and the
President into blind support of revolu-
tionary and suicidal measures. l say in
measured and sober earnestncss that L see
not how any man, unblinded by prejudice
or passion, can fail, upon honest reflection,
to think the Congressional plan OF recon
struction both revolutionary and suicidal.
What element OF calm and considerate
craftsmanship has it? In the first place
it is admitted to be, as regards the South
ern States, entirely "outside the Constitu-
tion." 1t must be justified either on the
ground that VIC have permanently out
grown our Constitution, or else that we
can gain by this measure the speodiest
restoration of it's blessings. The Radical
leaders adopt the former alternative, and
openly teach that their great charter is
nothing but waste paper and its doctrines
ctfcto and exploded. Ifit be so, where do
they derive their power in Congress to
make laws for North or South !? If it be
So they are revolutionary usurpers whom
the people may at some not distant day
call to Il savage reckoning for not at once
returning to their masters hands dele
gated power for tho exercise of whc,; they
had on their own confession no valid au-