The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-13
tHAhLaS FRiACiS ADAMS.
The Ex-Minisier Indignantly Re.
iec;s ALI Political HonOrs.
lie Prefers to Remain Quiet Until There Are
Some Live lssu,s Before the People.
Common Sense and COnserv tisEm
Combined.

QUINCY, Mass, July g. as-l.
There are few men IN the country whose wist. IN
Is more generally admitted than tnat OF CiarCs
Francis ADAMS. He seems to have inh rted. IN u
market degree, all the virtues and many OF the
peculiar gins Of the noble stock OF Adamses o.
which he is the direct aud now oldest surviving
descendant lie has, as is well known, filed many
high or,ess whore rare ability and keen ,udgtaent
were the absolute requisites, and how well ne &C
quilted himself in them all Ia still fresh IN the pnbhc
mind. Probably tie most important position he
ever occupied was when he was Minister TO the
Court OF 81. James during several o.
the eveptful years OF Our civil war.
His career, for the time being, like
thae OF ms several successors, was attended
with all the embarr assmeats incident TO the unoer.
tain relations then existing between Great Britain
ana our own disturbed country, and the Quincy
statesman was probably better pleased than other
WISE when his successor was appointcd. When ne
came home ne was warmly received by the majority
OF the people wDom he had endeavored TO represent
and IN soston there was public demonsti alton IN
approval Of rvs management OF American s1airs in
England. MIR. Adams was present himself and
made speech which, at the uiine attracted great
deal 0. attention and commentator. Since then ba
has appeared but very little I'm public, and HIS re-
framed entirely nom participating IN matters OF a
political nature. To use his own woros. he has
nent5 ana 1t Is very evident that he
cares but very little about any Of tie disturbing
pub c questions or the day. He lives here Oh me
OH Adams no lieste alone Of me most charming
and beautlu o. all the rural residences In quincy
aud the same idcn:cal one where both John
Adams and Jonn Quincy Adams ined. lie has
large and thrifty farm Adjoining, an All Inc sur.
ionndings are characteristic OF the retirement
WHICH, Inarles Eranc,s after an eventul and useful
life, now seeks to ENJOY.
Your correspondent finding himself for few
hours la the immo1Iate nelghborhood OF Inc DIS
lin pushed gentleman residence improved tne OPP
pofiun,ty Of making b.1ei visit. found nina, W
expected to, busiy engaged over the memors OF
and detail, end which he VIII SHORTY pap,
III Dish tne ns Unu ADAMS re h' was posS
cuhng his labors IN spacious grsni.e
treproof library which he g. has 49,, mad d., con- 4,
manuscripts AMI works OF reference Thicn sur.
rouodcd hn AL SIDES 1t was eviuent mat he had
lost notGing Of the Oily IN study which char
acter,zeu the earlier years OF his life He was vesy
cna aud SOCIAL aal assured me ne was glad to see
short talk on matters Oh local character our con-
yelsatioa naturally tanned upon topics OF nntonai
Importance
q. am very indifferent" MIR. Adams said lamont
matters or q po.i.ical nature nowadays. Wien
got tlrou9 4 my mission in England, wnere repre-.
sentei lie whole countrywide nalr OF I'll came
home 70 QUINCY satisfied. Ny highest ambition nad
hecn pratihei, anG then washed ny hands Of poll
tics and nsys mans Sn Sod kc ssp out to o e"
"a suppose you know, ~ replied. "that your name
ma been frequently mentioned In counectlol witn
"ies, 1 nave heard so,n he replied. bat have
never authorized any such use OF my name, ani,
furthermore, aOnt care for an once ol any kihu.
Sc er places have been offered 10 me rom tune 70
time, Dnt have aud ever shall continue 70 ascnne
why tins papers, as you say, should Oe taking npoos
me this or tnas onice CO.. ".sS y. pun.e
much now. ont always here, as sen -se . me nJ
woole srlne Is engaged IN the preparation OF the
biography end woiks Of my atner, and pay very
little attention wnat going outside. To show
only to tell You tnat the ory newspaper take IL tie
Boston Adenhser or, the respectable daiis' as' is
sometimes called"
THIS last disclosure was proof positive that Mr.
Adams was really ignorant VI what was gong on
lii lie outside world aud sincerely rejected II IL
was possible for TO I've IN sucn manner,
even in the ml.lst OF suca charming surroundings.
Following tcese fenectiUns alluded incidentally 10
the past career aud future prospects VI the rival po-
'Neliher OIL them amounts to anything he
answered. "rnen occupation, like O,ueuo's, Is
gone. Tnere are no great issues for them TO
ngnt aud nothing ior TIE leaders 10 discuss. Thers
ere a lew men Ia tac ranks OF both wEo 20 around
talking, Dat you Will dad tpas they either want III
onIce pnA lpus to ibid On 10 the they nave
arcaly got ihCr. t,tte been great iany attempts
10 draw me into e. Sc scuss,ons OF imaginary puUiic
questions. but al without avail presume they
are attracted towaia ne on account Of some little
prominence winch might nave acquired on account
Of iny course In England; Int have given them All
wash to dave nothing 10 DO win either OF tue ex-
istng olitlcat parties. II, perhaps there were any
adjusting them the same as any otuer nian whoso
nunsci oulu DC VI But tue fact IA there is
no I.ing that requires SPECIAL attention. Our own
ina rna aiaiIs a. We'll as foreign matters arc all
auns ted and we ought now " Try ana 1--we AZ peace
win o. Nfseve, aud tnc rest OF the world. IL There
was an, CRISIS Ia puoic Affairs wound speak my
views m eV o"' Us 'hefc - NOV preioi !" ie'n""
4" ~ hen yo, regard all the question. arising from
,.rhi csr,s,. Ny. l never one OF those WHO
c herisred a ni1A r nosuiJ toward the Soutn. and