Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-11-30
POLITICAL.
Letter from John Quincy Adams.
Scathing Review Of the Grant Dynasty.
The Prospects and Difficulties Of the
Passive Policy.
Would it Paw?

ST. LOUIS, Nov. 29.-John Quincy
Adams, of Massachusetts, has written a
letter, which will appear in the Missouri
Republican tomorrow, in which he warmly
endorses the so-called passive policy for the
Democrats in the next Presidential election.
In the course of the letter he says:
81 am satisfied that the course would be
wise and patriotic, and | should be glad to
see the Democracy concur in such resolu-
ton. regard the present administration
as a national calamity, continuance Of
which should be averted at almost any
sacrifice, not because it is Republican
in politics, but because it is
mean in character, sordid in tone, ignO-
noranty corrupt and arbitrary; because,
more than any we have had, it has disap-
pointed the hopes and deadened the gener-
Gus aspirations of the good men of all par
ties, because it is doing more to permanently
disunite the States than the government of
Jefferson Davis ever did; because
its chief can conceive of no means of
free government but military force, and
no motive of public action but
private profit. -Four years more of such an
education in family patronage and martial
law will so blunt the keen senSibilities Of
popular liberty that our ignOble incubus
might as we'll remain a fixture. Now, |
believe that the Democratic party is power
less, alone, to relieve US. l think it is
without hope of carrying the next
election. | have no doubt that if the votes
of any of the States lately m rebellion were
necessary to elect the Democratic candidate
they would be thrown out. In counting
mere majority, even if it could be mustered,
they will not be permitted to elect Demo
crat to be the next President. Nothing
will then remain but civil war or submis-
sion to usurper, and it is difficult to decide
which alternative would inflict the more ir-
reparable injury upon the habit Of free
government. To dismiss an incompetent
official and avoid a governmental crisis, the
Missouri policy offers the only reasonable
possibility which is offered.
eBut while frankly avow my partiality
for the project, do not think lightly Of the
very serious obstacles to its adoption. 1t
must subdue the pride of party and break the
bonds of party discipline. Now there are
few more obstinate passions than the senti-
mental devotion which men Offerth vague
abstraction of vain glory, and mot many of
the creeds of Theology are as despotic as
d" Platform" 1t will be a difficult task to
bring party yet glowing with the recollec-
ton of mighty past, and but now burning
with anticipations of a great future to yield
the head of the column and the command
of the field to allies who were yesterday
enemies.
''Nor is there any strong guarantee that
these allies will not finch at the last. Par,
ty leaders are seldom famous for the high
moral courage which can abide unshaken
the stern pressure that forbids the rupture
of party ties; but if they dare fling down
the gauntlet for a duel to the death with the
President, it might be possible for the Dem
ocrats to rise to the height where the hui
initiation of the partisan is lost in the salts
faction of the patriot.
"But it is charged the sacrifice will he
vain or worse; that it will surrender the
whole scheme of Democratic liberty bare
and bowed to its enemies. | do not so for
bode the event. / can't believe that the
protest against a dictatorial government
can be weakened by joining a band
which deserts It because it is hostile to liberty.
VIII the enemies of corruption in office
disband because they unite with those who
have Sickened and turned away from the
sight of corruption? Can friends of the
Constitution preserve and protect it more
continuously by refusing to hold up their
hands, who have forsaken their own friends
rather than deface it further? 1t seems to
me on the contrary that the strength of
! support which this movement would
bring to the rescue of the principles OF
Democracy would be in exact proportion to
the severity of the blow to the pride of the
Democratic party, for these principles must
! be dear indeed to men who can abandon
for them an ancient and honored name and
not less precious to those who dare to fol
low them even through the scorn, contempt
and obloquy which await political treason