Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1877-05-29
A Hitherto Unpublished Letter or
Btaine'S.
His Candid opinion or the Adams Fam
lily, Root and Branch, with Ineeden-
tai References TO the Adams Horn
Blower.
WASHINGTON, D. c.. Dec. 10, a

patience Win you, Out ahOluOi AoN'NA W
the same purport from any one else, will
certainly Try my temper, which has al
ready been put to the test by two similar
raids upon it.
met Bowles OF the Springfield Repuo-
lican few weeks since in Maine, on his
return from a MoOsehead Lake tour. and
rods with him for day BOstonwards,-
He improved the occasion by assuring
me that / bad no chance for the Presi-
dency, but that might do great thing
tor myself and my couotry by openly
espouSiDg the cause Of Charles tranciS
Adams. Shortly afterwards Charles
Nordhoff wrote the same thing IN suit
stance on both points. urging me II "see
Adams az once. ally myself with him and
make myself chief of his party From
Nordhotf. whom like. this mild nonsense
may be tolerated; but from Bowles. whom
nobody likes. it is quite unenduraole.
replied TO NogdhOtf in writing, as dld
BowltS in conversation. without mnclng
my words, and shall do You the same
favor. assured Nordholi that he could
no, have lower estimate Of my personal
prospects than | had myself; that IN iac'
the subject never entered my mind as
one Of serious promise, and l am sure
tod YOU at Saratoga in August last thai
my nomination was not within the scope
OF remote probabiliIies-scaTcely OF pos
sibilities. You need not, therefore, Try
81 giugerly TO let me down without hurt
lng, Tor really never ielt that was up.
But the cant snd the )rsense which
Bowles and Nordhoif an yourself put
forward about Adams aS the coming man
both amuSe and enrage me. When he
comes the Republican party is gone IL
would not be Adams fall, but his rise that
would ruin US. No Adams ever yet head-
ed party without taking the lie out OF
Ia. Old John-in many respects the best
ot them-tOoS the Federal party IN 1876,
when il had the talent. the character. the
culture. the wealth, aud the patriotic ira
di,iOnS and prejudiceS OF the country al
in It's favor, aud in tour years he so entire
! " DESTROYED il that it never reappeared,
except as a ghost wherewith TO brighten
TWO succeeding generations OF statesmen.
A large part OF the quarter OF century
| that he lived after be retired from the
| Presidency was spent in querulous efforts
TO throw the responsibility OF his failures
on the friends OF Hamilton and the eleven
other contrary jurymen.
John Quincy Adams was equally unioT-
tuna,e with the Republican party OF his
day. When be was insugurated IN lo2J
there was no other political organization
in the country, and wise leader OF men
and OF parties would have had no Difficult
| u 10 hsrmoniziug the personal ieucs
which were permitted TO grow into such
| fearful magnitude and acquire such de
structive force. Indeed, the administers
,ioD of the second Adams so entirely
wrecked the great republican party which
Monroe left, that il was never heard from
again eXcep, under an alias. Had John
Quincy Adams died the day he lett the
Presidency, he would never have filled
the prominent place TO which he is emit
/ tied 10 our history. he would simply
have been known IS a child OF political
iortune-always in Office. no matter which
party was in pOwer-head OF an admin
/ istratiOn which was remarkable only for
as failures. author Of diary conspicuous
only Tor It's maliguity, sire 10 "a son unwlSe
u
enough 10 publish Il. The last Il years
u his lie, spent ia the House OF K pre-
seutatives, all but Que Year in the oppo-
sition, developed lnase qualities and gave
him those opportunities which secured
him his fame. IL Is in that he!d alone
that the present generation know him,
and Mr.. Seward. when he wrote the bi-
ography OF the "Oid Man Eloquent, -
he never was eloquent when young-ds =
voted more space 10 his services IN the
House than 10 all The preceding history
of his official lite. which may be said to
have begun about the time he was wean-
ed. As an executive he was as utter d
failure a. his iaihvr.s
Don't talk 10 me then. pray you. about
nominating Charles Francis Adams rs
our candidate for the Presidency unless
YOU mean death lOr Us without resuTrec-
ton The republican party can be beaten
under some candidates in 1876. and still
have q future; but if il should win with
Adams il would never breathe again
The day OF MS Inauguration would be the
day OF It's funeral. lie is not the equa.
in talent Of bis father or grandfather, and
tlOuEn 1 nave very SlIGul ptASoudI ~
quaintsnce with him. iudge him to have
a plentiful supply OF those qualities which
made the two Adamses the conspicuous
failures among cur early Presidents, aud
a great lack OF those characteristics which
with all their faults and failures as exec
tives, still made them Justly illuslrious
in our annals.
The Presidents who were great leaders
of men and parties have been our sue
cessiul Presidents. Washington and JEFF
terson among the early Presidents, Jack
son and Lincoln &. later periods. are the
most shining examples. Among the men
who possessed in g pre-eminent degree
the talent and aptitude Tor the station
were Hamilton, Dewitt Clinton. Henry
Clay. Seward and Stephen A. Douglass,
Blu. in not single quality OF any one OF
them can you ind the least counterpart
in Charles Francis Adams. Stat ilagni
i.OHiiAiS unljra. And only the shadow
Very sincerely yours,
j. G.. BLAINE.