The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-06

Mr. ADAMS ON tne FoiAtSceA 'Shsos'
The interview with Hon. Charles Francis
Adams, printed in another part Of this
paper, will be read with the respectful in
terest due alike to its source and its matter.
will, perhaps, surprise many OF his country
men who have had no opportunities of
knowing him except by observation of his
public career, and have somehow got an i'm
preston that he is stiff and reserved in
private intercourse. 1t is true that Mr..
Adams possesses great dignity of character,
but it is not the naughty and repellant
dignity Of mere pride, but the gravity OF
mind which habitually occupies itself with
serious subjects. A man of his robust
structure of faculties may have engaging
personal qualities, of which we have a signal
illustration in the first OF our Presidents,
who notwithstanding his weight and eleva-
ton of character, was personally popu-
lar-''first in the hearts of his
countrymen" as we'll as ''frst in
war, first in peace" The only thing ever,
said against the political availability OF MIR.
Adams is that he is cold; but he is not colder
than Washington, who was the spontaneous
and universal choice of his fellow citizens.
Mr.. Adams expresses himself freely re.
specting the present condition of our pol
itics, and the characters, so far as he knows
them, of the several gentlemen who are most
talked of on both sides as candidates for the
Presidency. There are one or two of these
candidates to whom we think he does rather
less than justice; but the public will be glad
to learn the opinions of so impartial and dis
interested judge, even if they think his
impressions require some correction. He
does not desire the Presidency himself, and
is SO disconnected from party politics that he
does not suppose that either party would
think of him as candidate. Nobody will
doubt his sincerity in disclaiming such
ambition, and we fear it is too true that
he is quite outside the field of
choice. 1t is to be deplored that
the ablest, wisest and ripest of living
American statesmen, the one man who is
best fitted to bring order out of the existing
chaos and restore the tone and spirit of
earlier and better days, cannot be placed at
the head Of the government at time when
the highest order of ability and the irmest
integrity are so much needed.
The memories of the centennial year will
have no influence on this Presidential can
vass. AS we do not live in Utopia there
would be little reason for either regret or
disappointment if the sentimental order of
considerations were in conflict with the prac-
teal. 1t would be absurd to select Presi-
dent for no better reason than that his father
and his grandfather had held the same Office
before him. It would not be an exhibition Of
sound sense to take up even moderately
good candidate because his name is associ-
ated with the great events whose hundredth
anniversary we celebrate if decidedly good
candidate were competitor against him.
But neither of these observations apply
to Mr.. Adams. Apart from his line
age, apart from historical associations,
apart from everything not connected
with the question of personal fitness, he is
incomparably the best man who could be
chosen President With this solid ground
of preference. the country might safely
indulge in the sentiments of patriotism so
appropriate to the centennial year and elect
man whose name is 80 connected with the
hallowed memories of the Revolution. If
Washington had left descendants, and
among them o man of the same order of
qualifications as Mr.. Adams, the choice
would naturally fall on a man bearing that
name; but Washington died childless. Next
to Washington the two names which stand
highest on the roll of our Revolutionary
worthless are Adams and jefferson, both
brightly emblazoned in history and each
shining with lustre of its own. If the
author of the Declaration Of Independence
had left posterity to bear his name, and
among them u statesman almost as great as
himself, it might be difficult to decide between
the claims of two families whose heads were
SO illustrious and bore so distinguished a
part in the events of the Revolution. But
jefferson has no surviving representative,
and even if he had, every just estimate
must rank the services Of John Adams above
those of Thomas Jefferson in the year 1776.
True, Jefferson drafted the Declaration, but it
was the zeal and eloquence of Adams that
brought Congress up to the pitch of adopt
ing it. AS jefferson himself said, in con-
versation with MIR. Webster, at Monticello,
in his old age John Adams was our CO
lossus on the floor Not graceful, not ele-
CANT, not always fluent in his public adj
dresses, he yet came ont with a power, both
of thought and expression, which moved us
from our seats" Adams had done more
than any other man to rouse the colonists to
resistance when the troubles with the mother
country broke out. In the Continental Con-
gress he was the earliest, boldest, the most
strenuous and unfinching advocate of sep
aration. jefferson merely gave form