The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-07-20
4 TALK WITH JOHN Q. ADAMS.

Il TALK WITH JOHN Q. ADAMS.
His Views on the New Departure, Negro
Suffrage and the Ku-Klu1 Bill-The
Democratic Candidacy and the True
Issues Of the Campaign. n
A reporter Of the Boston Post has had talk
with John Quincy Adams on the general po-
litical condition Of the country. y
Reporter. To speak of platforms, suppose
you give your adhesion to the so-called new
departure OF our friends In the western ana
Middle States?
Mr.. Adams Why. yea, sir; butthe new de.
parture is very old departure with me. l
thinkit vas two years ago that we Democrats
In Massachusetts, at Worcester departed" l
remember making speech there which is
doubtless deservedly forgotten, of which the
only part can recall was an express accep-
tance of the situation. The resolutions, II 90
not mistake, were explicit fn that sense: In
selves, apart from their procurement, which
need distress any Democrat. The fair purport
and upshot of them is merely to give equal
civil rights and impartial political privileges
to all men, irrespective OF color. -"
NEGRO SUFFRAGE.
Reporter. You don't, then, consider giving
the blacks equal privileges with the whites as
uD-democratic?
MIR. Adams. No, sir. When the war closed
upon our enfranchlsed black people-freed,
you must remember, by stress of clrcum-
stances brought on as much by their masters
as by us-we had either to accept them as citl-
zens or hold them in soma nondescript condl-
ton of pupiage. The latter would have result
ed In lar more dangerous extension of the
paternal powers Of government than anything
In these amendments. Besides which, 1t was
more consonant to Mr. Jefersons faVorite
definition of Democracy, ''the right OF each to
pursue happiness in his own way, provided
only he respected his neighbours equal right"
Reporter. But you 90 not conslder tne ne
groes fit for suffrage? , ~
Mr.. Adams, Certainly not; and was very
sorry that 1t was forced upon the poor crea.
lures in the wholesale way it was. 1t endan-
gers their losing 1t altogether. The misgoVern.
ment in the Southern States Is fearful Inn
peachment of the attempt to found Republican
government upon undiluted Ignorance: But It
has been done, and would not undo 1t.
would modify 1t.
THERE'S THE RUB. =
Reporter. But there's the rub. Will not ac-
ceptance of the amendments prevent any
modification
be applied impartially, but any reform In that
regard which is possible at all is as possible
with as Without Them. We in Massachusetts,
disfranchise, they tell me, fifty thousand
voters By constitutional prerequisites, such as
ta1paying and reading and writing. surely
such requirements .abridge" very seriously q
mans right to vote. Their adoption IN
there to very manageable shape; can tell
you. Their adoption In any slaVeho!ding
State would insure good government. Now,
In tAe ssF rsassa ssssa44 u pfm fmoay f Maas4
the respect have indicated, althoughit was
urged that these two qualifications were In
fractions of the fourteenth amendment, and
II must be presumed that Legislature Wnica
had only about forty dlsloyal men in 1t, must
have so acted only because the party mat
made the fourteenth amendment DID not
think that either of these requirements IN our
constitution at all infringed It's provisions.
THE KU-KLUx LAW.
Reporter. But about the Ku.Klux bill of
the last Congress. Isn't that measure long
step in the direction of o forced construction
of the amendments In favor OF the Radical
party .e.to
not see anything unfrienuiy to their own
amendments In the constitutional restrictions
npon suffrage in this State or in Rhode Island,
90 thew regard that revolutionary bill known
as the Ku- Klux law as legitimate exercise Of
power under some OF these new amendments.
In fact, we have now got far enough IN tine
trial of written constitutions to see that tney
are In fact just what they are construed TO
mean. Now, this Is Inevitable. There Is no
sense in crying over 1t. The Ku-klux Dill, 1of
instance, seems TO me
AN ABSOLUTE SURRENDER
of the whole principle Of free government.
Indeed, as bald truth, and between us, tne
election bill and the Ku-Klux bill together, &C
tually place In the Presidents hands every ie, ,,
pal power that any man who had the Will
conld desire to raise himself to empire. You
look surprised, but 1t Is literally and precisely
as say. Control over the army to regulate
elections, and absolute power to imprlson by
military force. without hdbeds corpus, Is su-
preme and unlimited despotism In possibility.
Yet q great mass OF honest men see no narm
in this, and regard 1t merely rs proper exer-
else OF delegated power under the amend
ments.
THE WAY OUT.
Reporter. What, therefore. is your inference
from this view OF the subject?
Mr.. Adams My Inference is that any party
In this country which really desires to resume
the moderate method of government and tone
down from the dangerous rate at which we
have been going, should not be greatly dis
tressed by any amendments to The constltu-
tion which have yet been passed, for by any
fair construction they need never be known
by any State which would be content to deal
with absolute impartiality between mon and
man. And that is Democracy.
THE TRUE DEMOCRATIC POLICY.
Reporter. But what would be your policy
toward the rewly-entranchised race OF the
South
MIR. Adams. The Democratic party should
have no negro policy any more than German
policy or an Irish policy. There can be but
one Democratic policy-the United States
policy-and that should be equal and exact
Justice to every citizen.
GENERAL GRANTS DENOMINATION.
Reporter suppose you think General
Grant will receive denomination at the hands
of The Republican party?
Mr.. Adams. Undoubtedly, Mr.. Grant will
be renominated, and the Issue of the next
canvass will be upon his administration. Now
| the power OF the patronage of our govern
ment Is enormous at present, and the discl
pine of the Republican party is generally
| superb, but it eau hardly carry such a deac
| weight as that. The dull incompetence ano
stolid ignorance of the President, his shame