Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1874-07-16

the promise Of this volume made, We have
the greater pleasure In recording The
change which came over rs as we studied
It. Let us. however. before, illustrating
this change. say word as to Mr.. G. r.
Adams as an editor. OF course Il is I'm
possible to measure his merits in this
function without Knowing how be has ex-
ecuted bis duty Of expurgaticn. He tells
Ne in bis introductory the principles which
guided him. and we see no reason 10 End
fault with them. One duty-s very DEL
icate one. we admit-that Of arnotaiing.
be has either emitted or unnecessarily per-
forms. and some curious textual mistakes
(Which be will thank rs for pointing out)
he has committed. The most Interesting
part Of this diary-that Of the term Of SER
vice in the Senate Of the United States
might have been very agreeably aud use.
fully annotated. for many Of the incidents
have either passed out of memory or become
dim. 1t relates to period Of our story,
just before the second war With Great Bri-
tain, as to which stadents otherwise we'll
informed would have been grateful for in-
cidental enlightenment. Mr.. Adams gives
little. and occasionally what be does give
is quite superfuous. 1t surely is needless
to tell us in foot note (p. 264) that "Wil-
liam Duane was the editor of the aurora,
newspaper printed in Philadelphia in the
interests Of the ruling party" or on the
next page DE Witt Clinton was after
wards Governor Of New York, and is still
remembered as one of the most eminent
statesmen Of his time" Of mistakes We
note the misspelling of the name Cat p.
375) of an eminent Pennsylvania Judge,
aud at p 12 of the first and distinguished
Lord Malmesbury. and his speaking of
the junior counsel in the Chase impeach-
ment as Mr.. Francis Hopkinson. Mr.. F.
Hopkinson. 4 signer of the Declaration of
Independence, in 1905 was as dead as
Julius Caesar. The young lawyer refer
red to was bis son, Joseph Hopkinson,
whom Mr.. Adams, as President, twenty
Eve years later. made Federal district
judge in Philadelphia. and who laid the
foundation Of great professional fame BY
bis speech on this impeachment. Those,
We concede. are minute blenishes, but it
is but right to point them out for correc.
ton. Why Benjamin Stoddart. of Mary
land. John Adams's Secretary Of the Navy,
should be printed as "Bcn Stoddart' we
do not know.
Our readers must not expect Us from
this fragment Of the sixty volumes of dia-
ry-tbis brick from tesscllated building
to give them any view of Mr.. J. @.
Adamss career and character. He was
wholly different man when in the Senate,
silent on the suppression Of the slave trade,
from what ho became forty years later,
vociferating for the right ofpetition. Be-
tween the two there was but one common
feature, and this We note Mr. Senator Will
son in his late book, incidently notices
He never was an aggressive abolitionist,
and always resolutcly contended that Con-
gress had no constitutional power to abol-
ish slavery in the District Of Columbia
without the assent Of the States which had
ceded it. If Mr.. Wilson is to be credi-
ted Mr.. Adams become finally aggressive
towards the South only on the principle,
which seems to be all right to the Vice.
President, that the devil should be fought
with his own weapons.
Oi the book. then, and of the man, SO
far as he was developed at the age of for
ty-two, only do We presume to speak, and
more Of the former than the latter. The
great peculiarity of Mr. Adams's career
was the continuity Of his public service.
Even in this segment Of it, going abroad
with his father at the age Of fcleven-then
Minister to Holland at tweuty-seveu-
specially to England in 1795-to Prussia
IN 179S-9-State Senator and then for
nearly a full term Senator of the United
States. Of his greater thereafter" Of
which the dawn was his mission to Rus
sia in 1909 BY Mr.. Madison's appoint
mcnt, We do not mean now to say a word.
One feature Of Mr.. Adams's political opin-
ions or prejudices this volume clearly re-
vcals. the appreciation of which affords to
our minds complete solution of his SUBJ
sequent conduct when he quarrelled with
his New England constituency and sup
ported Mr. Jefferson's and Mr.. Madison's
war or semi-War policy. and in 1920,
when Secretary Of State. made a famous
speech against England. A good deal
goes by inheritance in the Adams blood.
and from his father the younger man in
! herited little anti. nglican feeling. We
do not pause to inquire If it was right or
wrong. We merely record the fact. Old
John Adams was fierce in this specific ha-
tired. and his son came BY it naturally
We read some Of the illustrations Of this
feeling. the expression Of which is almost
vulgar in its spitcfulness. with smile and
a wonder whether the third Adams. who
in our day and generation was brough, in
the same relations with Great Britain.
does no, agree with Us. Mr.. j Q. Adams
over and over again records his jealous
susriciousncss. On the 9th Of Novem-
Der, 1925. we read Of conversation with
an under-secretary Of state, Mr.. Ham
mond. who did his best TO be courteous TO
young Americans. He suggested says
the diary, that the place Of ordinary min
lister here would be very agreeable to me
because it would be succeeding to the sta
tion my father had held That may do
very well for you.' said /. You may be
an aris,ocrat with propriety; but in my
country. you know. there is no,hing he
reditary il public Offices and then he
adds This foolish talk Of bis is very To-
telligi5le. l do see to the bottom Of this
Justice Shallow, bat be knows not me-
Il If l.~~ s.--. L. -.O 4