New-York tribune., 1874-05-08


legislative proceedings, with numerous personal
sketches, forming an instructive commentary on the
history Of the times. Our space does not permit any
further extracts relating to public events, but one
OF two passages Of personal nature are so full OIL
interest that we cannot deprive our readers OF the
pleasure Of perusing them. They arc from that por-
tion Of his diary devoted to determination at tho
commencement of the year. On Dee. 81, lSo4' he
writes as follows:
The year which This av expires has been distinguished
in the OF my life by its bafiehhess ol eNcnts'
tending my duty as Senator of the United states Inc
intervening months were passed III trayeng 20
and from Quincy residence at my latheis mouse
there The six months spent at Quincy we're not dlc
Indeed have seldom IN the whole course OF my mo
agricultural pursuits, but soon found they lost
their RELISH aud that they eIGs negfr "oaa "T peJ pep
uous and seldom interrupted. meant TO give
them such direction as shoGd De ussG M IN time Is
consumed with the knowledge & uV
have been severe student all the days OF my Me- but
an immense proportion of the time nave dedicated 70
the search Of knowledge has been wasted upon SUBJECTS
which can never bo profitable to myself or useful to
others Another source OF useless uII Is .o Wht M VI
method properly comprehensive ana minute In the pur
snit of nv ipduIres. This method has been 20 me
desdcratum for many years nave iouhi hoIc % ~ ~
bools nor have been able TO conrlve one Tor myself
From these two causes nave derived so tie use IRON
my labOrs that 1t has often btought c 10 ,ne poIuIIs
of dscouragement and have been tempted 10 abandon
NV hooks altogether. This, however, is Impossible;
for the habit has 80 long been liked IN me as to
have becone "A passion and when once severed from my
hook find little or nothing in life TO I'll the vacancy OF
time | must. therefore, continue 10 Von and 10 lose
my labor contenng myself with tho eonsoiaton ,it
even this drudgery OF science contributes to virtue,
though IL lead not to wealth or honor In resect 10 my
family, has pleased Heaven 70 eNtena Pecu aVor 20
me during this year NV parents, my Wife, aud children
have ali been preserved TO me- though NY Other sate
OF health has often occasioned me nucH an ahAie.f sly
own health has indifferent but not bad. My prop
erty has remained at stand ana my 9olcdl prospects
conclude the year with the snccrest gratitude TO Heaven
for the blessings with which have been indulged'
Again on Dec. 81, 1906, he writcs
In reviewing the occurrences OF the year which Is
now closing, / find equal reasons for sentiments
of gratitude to Providence Tor the blessings
ropIoof or fbc little adyantages hayc derived from
them. The two first and the last months Oh tne year
were passed in attendance on my dnty IN Congress
where have not been profitable servant as might
bc-not that have positively hsg9oteu NY uy, % G3,
sufficient yIgOr and ardOT. when returned 10 quincy
last Spring, my intention was By an asslduous appca
the Ignorance which often intcrieres with my
wishes to serve the public: had barely com
m health compelled me to lay It aside and
before could resume it my appointment TO inc proies
new and different direction From the beginning OF
July large portion Of my me mas oeen devoted 70 te
Greek language and TO rhetorical writers, Ana these
are elds which must for years 10 come t1 my me NC
spared explore and cultivate Tlth unaDatng industry
the roursc of the whole year than had long expert
enced. and its prospects arc not hltterne; but my
pareuts my wife, and my children have all HFed
and in general been blessed with health, for
which Heaven be praised My political pros
nccts contuue declining The state OF affairs in other
respects nearly as at the commencement OF thc
year-in respects improved In 0thers less adyan
tareous but on te whole more favorable and promising
Tie privaons to which nave found 1t necessary to re-
cur have been very painful as they respect my family
and i'm their effects though my own account they
never had my mind or spirits the weight OF straw
Thus much for the past, upon which reelection
condnct of the future Let me, then, resolve
TO devote that future to the steady pursuit OF
| andy S,i .
ance from above, that the general imperccuOns OF
humanity and my peculiar individual iTall1es re anu IN.
and increasing power OF justice temperance patience
and fortitude.
curious passage occurs under date OF January,
1907 describing the character of his own oratOry:
smoke about an hour; but the subject had been ex.
haused by Mr. Giles. ana could only present some or
his ideas in new hgnts should have done better TO
and amidst better speakers when me debates
are to be reported never speak without mortcation
Tbe process of reasoning IN mind Is too slow for
uninterrupted articulation. My thoughts arise at
arst confused. and require time to shape into
a succession of sentences. Hence tho transition
from thought to thought s awkward and nelcganf and
so Ogh b a often begn thought with spirit and
finish it with The chain Of my argument often
then finish / can without producing half the argu
nents proposed before began 10 speak Thsse faults
Would be- so ovcrpowering that should sink per
petua silence from mere impotence, were 1t not thar
wound up "a hgh tone, elocution pours itsef along
with unusual pdity, and have which would
makes tOleTaDlo to others or TO myself.
There is another Of the same kind commenting
with wonderful frankness On his general conduct in
the Senate
1 employed che whole evening in looking over the
Journal the Senate siuCc have OF its
bcTs In the numerous traces OF y own conduct there
Iremark materials for seriois reueeuon or the very
little business which have commenced during the four
sessions, at least thrce-IOurhs has failed, with crcum
stances OF peculiar modification. Tue very few in
stances in which have succeeded nave been always
after opposition OF great oiihdcy, often u1lcrousy
contra ng with the insgncance OF the object in pur
suit. More than one instance mas occurred whore the
thing which have a-siduous'y abored in vain
10 effect has been atierWard accomplished by others
without The least resistance more than one
where the pleasure or disappointing has
the preparatory BUSINESS mdluicu III committees haNs
had share, gradually increasing through the four
abor ou, duties have been readily assigned to me and
as readily undertaken and discharged Ny success has
PROPOSITION OF NY own, and nope lhave been usru-
mental in arrosng many unadylsed purposes and pro
nave been uniformly IN small aud constantly de
crcasng minority NY opinions ana EGes haye eeea
enet m uncb opp0etior from my party friends as from
| Their adyersarles-I believe more. / know not
that have made any personal enemies now In Senate
sonai friends rhere have been hitherto wo Mr. Tracy
and Mr. PluIner, upon whom L could rely; but 1t has
and the changes of political party removed the
with tie warnost wish TO render real service 10
path which prudence proscribes under circuIn
stances Of the time IS to undertake little, and content
myself with the regular attendance which s The duty Of
every member and TO restrain rather than Indulge the
propensltlcs 70 debate
IL July, 1872 Nj. Adams received the appointment
of minister to Russia, to which date the diary is
brought down in the present volume. He was now
forty-Uwo years of age III the fall vgor Of hs pow
ers, and with the highest character for integrity
diplomatic skill, and noble patriotic aims. The re-
mander of his life, for the most part passed in
,4 uta he xoIf
of his diary will doubtless possess even greater in
monk hrn,l