The Van Buren press., 1871-07-18
NO. 7
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.
A Letter from the Massachusetts, State
man to an Arkansas Editor.

A short time ago, Col. j. T. Trezevant
Of the Augusta Bulletin, addressed let
ter to Hon. John Quincy Adams, on the
condition Of things generally atthe south.
and few days ago received the follows
ing response:
QuIScY, Mass, June 5, 1871.
DEAR Sir: cannot pass over, silent,
ly, LITTER which gratfes me as much -
yours, which received to day; and yet.
/ teel shy OF speaking to you or any citi-
zen of the subject states disliketo
rctort, "Oh, it is very easy to preach;
but, suffer az we have, ard then tell US
how you feel and we will listen" DO
Try TO take it home to myself; and do
not doubt that, In similar circumstances
| should be to day, an 81 unrepentant reb-
ell sore, angry, beaten and defiant.
And, with me, II woald doubtless have
been as 1t has been with you, that " ten
der merces of reconstruction had been
harder to bear than all the horrors ofin
vasive war - | should have been CALLED
by msgovcrnment, robbed by imported
knavery, of the pittance which the war
had spared exasperated by willful and
persistent Misrepresentation; and cruel
ly condemned to hopeless impotence for
the imputed guilt Of cowardly crimes !
abhorred ] should have been condemn
ed, too, to hold my personal liberty at
the nod Of mercenary carpet 5agger or
the whim Of a military satrap. say that
| fear should have been an "irrecon-
cilable, In such.a case, think should
be sulky; but know l should be silly II
| yielded to the feeling. For, whence
must my relief come If my last estate is
not to become worse than the irstf Is
there man outside an asylum who
thinks that by such course the lost
cause" can be regaihed2 BY whom.
thenY If by the north, believe me that
the experiment of secession has satisfied
us that no cause is worth civil war.
That war has confirmed, beyond shad.
ow Of turning, the destiny which de-
creed that there shall be but one con.
federated people of the North American
Union. No. Rebelious might be but
weak enough to await the resurrection OF
secession do not think could be. You
and /, and your friends and neighbors
and mine, are Of one blood we were once
fellow citizens, and the old time kind
ness must linger yet in spots. Our faith.
ers were brethren" and that must
count for something. The whole polite
al problem of the future turns upon the
answer to the question:: "Shall we live
| together as friends or eDemiesT Now.
the whole internal policy Of the present
administration says tgar. RccoDstruc-
ton meant tCar, and the Ku klux bill de-
clared pGr. This Union is now held to.
ge.her by force. Certainly, II this 10 to
be permanent, it would have been better
to have parted at first If the struggle
to carry ont slavery overthrow the Con-
stitutiou, what chance is there for q
Z" free" government IL the northis to rule
! the south. South Carolina is to day the
most shameless parody on republican in
sttutions since republican Rome bestrods
all the nations Of the ancient world, put
the sword to their throats, stripped them
bare, and then lacked words to laud the
lovelincss OF liberty You cannot Be sub.
ject, and we be long free. The untram.
melled exercise OF local self government
by the people OF the States is the salt
which preserves our whole system. Take
that away and our frame Of policy will
rapidly rot into despotism. Therefore
it is, that, not as partisan, but wholly
as fellow citizen, ! trust that all the
good citizens of the seeded States will
frankly and honestly accept the revolu.
tionary changes which have been etifotc
ed upon the Constitution. and with them,
cheerfully adopt the new relations of am.
ity and political and civil equality to.
wards the emancipated class which these
changes involve. And therefore ! am
glad when see the noble spirit Of your
letter pervading the southern people as it
does, despite the malignity Of partisan /.
press; while the sterling sense Of Mr..
Vallandigham has reformed the northern
democracy And 1t matters not what man
may be chosen to lead us so long as HE
heart is large enough to hold his whole
country; his soul brave enough to EN-.
brace confederate as brother, and his
platform wide enough for every Ameri.
can citizen to stand upon. To compass
this and something of sacrifice is requir.
ed of us all much OF self.control is de-
manded of the south. You and all hear
assure me that the attempt will be made;
and if made honestly and in earnest Il
cannot fail Again thanking you for
your letter, am, very respectfully, your
obedient servant, j. Q. ADAMS.