New-York tribune., 1875-02-02
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
DIARY OF John QUINCY ADAMS.

II.
political history Of the United States from that date
10 the end of February, 1920. 1t was perlod OF
pregnant significance in the course oil our natiohaI
leeislation. Questions Of supreme interest both of
n foreign and domestic character, were debated III
Congress with an ardOr prOportioned TO their i'm
portance and often with all the asperity of partisan
rancor Mr. Adams placed in position which
taxed his resources to the utmost, demanding the
constant exercise of his characteristic vigor gravity
and decision and calling for perpetual restraint on
the yehemence the fiery ZEAL and the fierce lmpetu-
Osity which were latent in his nature. lie had no"
attained the mature age of fifty years, with VIDE
experience of political service IN foreign countries
lie entered upon the duties of his new station with
deep sense OF religious responsibility. lie was con-
scious that whatever scenes of peril and anxiety he
had passed through he never before III so crlcai
and precarous a situation. The first questions that
demanded his attention were those relating TO span
ish America They formed the constant subject Oh
discussion in the Cabinet, aroused the violence VI
party zeal among the prominent p0htlclans' anu oc
Casicned not little perpexity and embarrassment 10
the Administration, These Cabinet councils" says
Mr. Adams, "Open upon me a new scene anu he"
views of the political world. Here is play OIL pas
sions opinions and characters different III ha"S
respects from those in which l have been accus-
TONED heretofore to move. There is slownesS, want
President, which perhaps arises more from
his situation than his personal character"
Under the date Of Jan. Is, 1918, he writes: lhe
Presidents message to the two Houses was ready,
and he sent 1t in this day. The measures relating to
Amelia Island South America. and Spain are laying
the foundation of a system OF opposition 10 lhe
Administration, with Clay at its head Crawford
told me the other day that Clay, Saturday evening
before last being gay and warm with wine, told hun
he meant to follow up his attack, and added, And
Ill beat you. by --" But day or two Afterwards
he came TO him cool, and said he was very anxious
10 avoid collision if possible, and proposed to make
merely an appropriation for a Minister to Buenos
AyTes"
Mr. Clav took advantage of the South American
complications TO favor his own aspirations to the
Presidency, and soon commenced a series OF deter
mined assaults Oh the policy of Monroe. There are
FREQUENT illusions to this by Mr. Adams, who on
March q, has the following record
At the Presidents this morning had the VOuminouS
dispatches from G. W. Eryng, at Madrl !. and lLCm
the President though convaleeent yet so weak that
he declined hearing them wholly read ana asked me & TO
that WOrthngtOn, OF the informal agents sent 10
South America collect information had been e0nclu
ding a treaty there, he sad with quick and irrated
tone. Dismiss MIN Instantly. Recall him! Dismiss
him. Now. to think what recommendations that man
had Dismiss hun at once, and send him the notice OF
his dismisslon by every possible ehahnei' II 70
V.
the Commissioners when they arrived there Will nave
But The subject which seems to absorb all the facul
ties OF hs mind the violent stenatc opposition tbat
Clay is raising against hs Administration. Gay ap-
pears 10 have made his account to succeed Monroe
IN the Presidency, and supported hs eleclon 10 me *
Pee1aton W DS nd tboTGb ofered the War d.
parment declined accepting IT, ana IRON lhat moment
formed the project OF rising npon of the Admin
i.tratlon He therefore took opposition ground upon all
cardinal points OF policy taken by the President but
cerninc internal Improvement and upon south Amer
affairs. On the Amelia Island affair at tue very
outset the session OF Congress, ne pronounced him
cell against it, ana as one Of ms own kentucky papers %
From that day to this he mas been ude
bic III every private company where he mas Dee m eA
pressing dsapprObatOn OF that rdhsacOn ana OI the
mission 10 South America.
A visit TO his Massachusetts home in Quincy in
September affords agreeable intorlude to the ar
dors of political strife, aud enables him to indulge
for a brief moment in bis favOrte classical studies.
The love of learning always held an important place
in his esteem. Had he not been absorbed IN the
functions of the politician, he would have attained
an eminent rank as a scholar. He delighted to lin
ger in the fields of ancient literature, and writes on
the subject with almost juvenile enthusiasm.
orINcY 9th-The storm continues night and day; II
again prevented me from going 70 Boston, ana ag1ID
kept me confined the house. II Is but tins moment
that have brought up my arrears at the approach o
evening for having examined George In passage OF
Patos Critic and then referred TO the volume Of the
Bbhob6que des PHILOSOPHERS containing DAcers trans
latiOn OF II, | alurcd by the PDedO, which mme-
sucCCedq and could not lay down the DOOk until
had read IL through Idls dehcOus Dut ulseaSOnaDc
occupation consumed the morning, almost 10 the hour OF
dinner II the study Of Plato were my proper business
should wasting time with something else The
reflections that occurred 70 me upon this perusal
the Phsdo might be useful 10 me hereafter If had
time to commit them to writing. 1ne arguments OF
Socrates prove the Immortality OF the soul are 50
weak they hardly deserve the name OF arguments
HIS principle mat all things are generated by ther con
trares that and cold greatness and tteness nte
and death, produce each other, is AL abSurdity His
strsct entities is subtle but utterly grouudess
IDEA
spiritual, smpe, uncOmpOunded nature OF TIE soul,
subject to death There is something very admirable in
compOsure and tranquility with which he discOurses
Al sucn moment; Dut there is want OF sensibihty III
The GOODNESS which he shows at parting from his wife
and children. Tho objection taken hy Smmds 10 the
imInortalty OF ihe s0ulthat the soul Is "a mere har-
mony resulting from the composition OF the body. and
illustration by comparison with the music produced
by the of yre-is strong that Socrates by no
means answers It. That Cebesthat the soul supe
excellence and duration TO the body, and may out
last several bodies several suits of
clothes but yet must finally perish-is equally weak
and indeed sides OF the argument appear to me to
n IL scarcely worth reading Yet II affords mex
haustiDe fund for meditation. 1t gave me ardent
longing for leisure, which should but too probably
waste II mad IT,
The following record presents another Illustration
of the same tastes, with Interesting confession of
personal experience such not nufIequently in the
progress Of the diary relieves the severity of pOiti
cal discussion.
My wife made Translation OF The first and second
AIciDades Plato. that OF DIcer tAe BinliO
theque PHILOSOPHERS. She IL for the benefit OF
bt nns ana bi, mornipy finished tle reylsa Of il in
which have made very little alteration. read the
FIRST Aclbadcs at Auteu in the 1884 at the OF
sevent.en The folly of nat which would
rush to the management OF public affairs without
stock of knowledge concerning them. the meauness Of
setting up standard Of requirements those
associates, the indssOdbe union OF moral beauty
and goodness. the indispensable duty OF seeking self
knowledge and sclt1mprovement and tue exalted doc
which considers the body merely the mortal in
siruDent OF the soul aud the sou alone as man made
"A deep and lasting impression upon my mind The
beauties OF The composition dld not hcn 10 much AFFECT