Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1869-09-01
The Modern Democratic Adams.

The Modern Democratic Adams.
John Quincy Adams, /" the son of his father,
the grandson of his grandfather, and the
great grandson of his great grandfather"
has been again nominated for governor OF
Massachusetts, by the Democrats of that
state in convention assembled.
One Mr.. Aspinwall presented his name to
the convention, as the chief who had led the
Democracy of Massachusetts, Ito defeat) for
the last two years as one coming as he
does, sir, from a long line of illustrious an
cestors I" as d" the worthy son of an illus.
trious sire :" as a fit leader for theD emocrat-
ic and conservative and anti prohibitory
voters Of the old Bay State. Two or three
members of the convention voted against this
worthy son." because, probably, they used
to vote against one of his " illustrious ances-
tors,n but the convention were nearly agreed
inRn5kng an Adams at the head of their
After Mr.. Adams had been put in nomi
nation he gave the convention some sensible
advice in the following opening paragraph o
his speech
L pray you to believe that | am not insen-
sible to the kindness with which you have
greeted me, nor forgetful of the obligation
which your continuing confidence imposes
Mindful of my slender merits, and conscious
of no claim upon you for any public service,
L should have preferred an older, wiser, ablcr.
longer tried and more widely known candi-
date. Indeed. | have not scrupled to urge
that it should be a sufficient disqualification
for me here that such little notDriety as |
have met with was entirely connected witt
an utterly unsuccessful opposition to meas
ure@ winch have prevailed, and my only ser
vice the defense of a defeated policy. For 7
do not, for one instant hesitate to declare
my conviction that the Democratic party, if
1T hopes for permanent usefulness, must mind
the advice of DIR. Holmes
" Yet in opinions look not always back.
The past Is nothing mind your coming track
And first of all, upon matters of national
politics although they do not enter this de-
bate, yet it is proper for US to propose what
we deem the wisest course to steer. In nv
Judgment our defeat in the last election sub
stantially settled the reconstruction and ne
gro suffrage controversy. Much as we may
dislike the decision, there is no way short of
revolution by which it can be reversed, GER
tainly for four, and considering the com
p~lexion of the Senate of the United States, |
now the effective government of the country,
probably not for ten years at least. This in
sures at any rate a fair trial of universal un-
qualified suffrage at the South, and even
when its failure is ascertained, it is proba-
BILE that all moderate men will agree that no
sweeping measure of Acknowledgement would
be expedient. The barbarian ballot then
should be regarded by a wise party as no
longer a legitimate subject of discussion. 1t
has passed from the realm of debatable
questions, and should now be classed in the
category of facts. Arguments for and against
its adoption were admissible last autumn.
but now they are out of place. We cannot
abrogate or abolish it. We must accept il
as one of the elements in the problem offered
for our solution, and address ourselves to
that as affected by this inseparable modifca-
ton. As things actually stand to-day what
measures will most subserve the general well
fare ?
This, gentlemen, with great Difference of
opinion, seems to me the only course open
to us. To act otherwise would resemble the
wisdom of a general who, beaten in a battle
which he had joined in order to cover certain
important points, should, after the victori-
Rs passage of his opponents and occupation
disputed territory, rally bis army
the old battlefield, and there fight
k9ary foe, while he leaves all behind
~knopposed progress of his antago-
leave such s~trategists to bang
~asse
Ndnition upon the debris of the
Eeid, while we press on to assume a
position full in the enemy's front, where
len we have restored our lines, and re-
cruited our ranks, successful battle NAV vet
be fought, and r~edeeming victory won. In
this spirit we would say to our former fell
low citizens in the excluded provinces
. Come into the Union. Stand not upon the
order OF your coming, but come at once.
When you are in and we can act as fellow
citizens once more. we win meet together
and consult upon future measures"
This, gentlemen, in brief, is the spirit.
which as it seems to me, shond animate our
action upon past issues. For the present and
the future are very importunate in these
days, and viii allow us scant time even to
celebrate the grateful funeral games over our
dead past. Eternal activity is the price of
party living, and the road behind is strewn
with the carcasses of the factions which
could not see that in politics a dead principle
~ a mere prejudice, nauseous to the people.
This is rather severe criticism of the Dem
ocracy that is Still fighting in every possible
way against equal suffrage and equal rights.
but if Democrats can stand it, and put such
q candidate at the head Of their ticket. we
can. But we know very well that, however
true Mr.. Adams words are, they are only
a delusion, for if he would not himself eat
them, If by any chance the Democrats should
COM into power in Massachusetts,, the party ,
would very soon get rid of him, and some
democrat OF the old school would shortly :
relsA in his stead. In fact the convention ;
very oi0Atly told the truth in this resolution
hesofeed, The Democratic party of Massa- :
cnuset1s nave no new theories to advance 9
upon national subjects Recent events, as n
wen as the experience of our earlier history, il
se' 70 convince us that the further the v
nr;no a wanders from the old and cherished \
principles of the Democracy, the more urgent .
grows the need of a speedy return to them Il
Du' we nevertheless deem il a political duty CT