The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-07-06
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, JR.
A Conversation on the Political Aspects 8

JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, JR.
A COMPENSATION ON the Political Aspects Of
the: Times. I
A correspondent OF the New York
| Sun recently interviewed John Quin-a
/ cy Adams, Jr. From the result of
/ the interview we select the following
extracts, giving his views on the cur
rent topics of The day: h ga5l5
A BULL IN CHINA SHOP. rAI
In reply to the question as to the
status of Gen. Grant with New Eng
Hand Republicans, Mr.. Adams said:
They are in terrible fix. They
are mortified, chagrined, disgusted
with their President, and don't know
how to help themselves. They can't
control him nobody can control him;
and he has no political ability to con-
troll himself. He is out of his ele-
ment in the Executive Office, and feels
| it. State matters are bore to him.
Statesmen and politicians are not con-.
| genial companions to him. He dis.
likes their conversation and shuns it,
thus shutting himself out from the ad
vice and Information a President al
ways needs. He prefers the compan-
ionship of horse jockeyes and retired
merchants who have plenty of mon
ey to spend, but who know nothing
of public affairs and care less. The
Republican party in New England is
an aristocratic party. and dislikes the
course General Grant is pursuing
But they can't help themselves, and
they feel the modification all the more
| keenly on that account" Asi siiit.
THE WINNING DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.
.sMy own idea is that if the Demo-
Gratis will adapt their platform to the
| live issues of the day, accept negro
suffrage and the other inevitable re-
suits of the late war, drop their old
Bourbon leaders, and take up new
men not tied to the dead past and its
obsolete ideas, the path to victory is
now open to them"
THE SOUTH DEMoCRATIC-How THE NE
GROES WILL VOTE. ID 4s
Can the Republican party retain
the control of that section of the coun-
try?" BE- -g5g asgy5 ri 10 .5asuanl
4" By no MEANS" he replied. " AS
fast as the States have restored to them
their political privileges and rights,
they will reassert their independence
of this ruling power. 1t is all nom
sense to suppose that the labor of that
section will forever subject itself to
| the control of few adventurers. At
/ present the negroes are Kept in a state
of political excitement and semi-an-
! tagonism to the Southern people, for
partisan purposes. But really the ne
groes care nothing about politics. If
left to themselves, they would scarce
Iy ever assert their political rights.
Not that / would have them de-
MED those rights, or restrained from
exercising them; but it is not in their
I nature OF dispositions to care for
4 them. In the cities they may, and
| probably Will, always take an active
part in party contests; but the mass of
the negroes, as is well known, are
scattered in small colonies on distant
| plantations, and after this unnatural
excitement passes away, and they are
left to themselves, politics will be the
least OF their concerns, except once
year. when their employers will ask
them to the polls to vote. Then, OF
course, they will vote whatever ticket
their employers or oyerseers put into
their hands. So the political power
in that section will very soon lapse in
to the hands of those who have al
ways welded it. And they are now
beginning to see this inevitable ten
dency. Hence their readiness to ac-
cept reconstruction under the present
plan. They know that while set of
carpet-baggers are temporarily placed
| III power, it is but a stepping stone to
their own restoration to political su-
premacy." - ...
THE REVOLUTION IN OUR. FORM OF COW
ERNMENT. aa taq
! "a
Our whole form of government is
changed. We have written Consti-
tuition, it is true, but it is almost
| wholly ignored. 1t has been altered,
patched and amended until it's consist
ency is all destroyed, and it is almost
a meaningless instrument. Our legis-
lation is not affected by the restric-
tions of any organic law. AS Mr..
Thaddeus Stevens expressed it, our
Legislation is extra-constltutlonal.
or outside of the Constitution. We
written fundamental law, but have
adopted the English idea of an un-
written Constitution, variable in its 4
character, and adaptable to events as
| they occur.
THE DAYS OF THE REPUBLICAN, PARTY
a NUMBERED.
"This revolution has been wrought
by the Republican party, you think 2"
| Interposed. us5 .7Edieeor sa
Wholly so," he replied. "The
Democrats surrendered pow er in 1861,
leaving the government intact in its
original form. Whatever changes
have occurred have been wrought
since then, and by the party now in
power. 10 ...sr -..s .3 !
.. How long do you think the party
will retain power?" asked.
81 think" he replied, " their dsvs
are numbered. The signs of disso =
tion are everywhere apparent in their
ranks. The work of disintegration is
gong on. If the Democratic party
will be wise now it can certainly re-
gain the ascendency."
GREELEYfS OPINION OF CARPET