National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-01-29
Am example for ex.rre.iaent..

An example EDf sfX-f-feSl0eklSs
In the International Review for February Mr. John
T. Morse. jr. writes: How pitiable seems gener-
ally an ex.President of the United statesl As he
passes from the door of The White House our re-
firing Chief Magistrate usually becomes at once an
effete creature, With whom no active man would
change places. There is no niche for him upon
this side of his grave, and he appears such
melancholy and aimless wandeTer upon earth as
the aneients often sadly chose TO depict theglooy
ghosts in Hades. Fortunately the independent
common sense of Mr. Adams enabled him to teach
q lesson, by which, however, his less intelligent
successors have profiied teo little. He was busily
engaged in getting again into the active practice
of the law not altogether gladly, yet with his
wonted resolute adherence to duty, when he had
the opportunity 10 become the representative OF
his district in Congress. Without hesitation he
cepted. "If my felow-citizens of the district" he
said, should think fit to cali for such services as
il may be in my power to render by representing
them in the Twenty-second Congress. am not
aware OF any just principle which would justify
me in Withholding them" Not in exactly such
language is Office usually sought in this or any
other country. Friends were not wanting to sug-
gest that Mr. Adams would find himself in dis
agreeable and embarrassing position in this in
ierior Office. But 10 such foreeastings he gave no
heed. In his simple, sensible, courageous way he
only saw fitting task before him, and he man
fully set about it. No one now, whether kindly
disposed to him not, can deny that he deter
mined wisely. For the most honorable part of his
career was yet before him and in no period of
his life does he appear so great as in his long
congressional service. No member ever more
faithfully attended the sessions or bore his part
more assiduously in all the business of the House
His industry unlimited: his knowledge and
experience, already great at the outset, steadily
was such as has never been seen before or since
Every question, il arose, had his careful eonsid
erntion. and received his support or opposition
solely upon its intrinsic and individual merits. No
party affiliations controlled him; his vote was al
ways the honest expression of his opinion. He
was ungracious as ever, and had an unrivaled
skill in throwing his Congressman into fits
ofextreme rage. He made enemies with success
and imperturbability quitemaryelous and anus
ing. Every one whom he opposed hated him with
exceptional acrimony, at least for the time and at
one time or another he opposed pretty much every
body. When he brought aid, on the other hand,
he always managed to do it in such amanner as TO
win no frendlness or gratitude. From first to last
he was a solitary old man. Yet he succeeded in
mastering the respect of each successive House in
which he took his seat. He was diSliked, feared,
and looked up TO. At times his influence and the
weight of his character received striking vindiea-
ton, and upon some important occasions he was
treated with a degree of consideration which
probably surprised the very men who were mani
Testing it. He took it all-the eutbursts of abuse
and the expressions of reeard-with the same
equanimity, seldom feeling much either of elation
or depression, and never once shaken in his su-
premeconfdeneei in himself Hissuperb conscious
of rectitude stood to him in place of popular
ity, friendship, and sympathy, furnishing truly
remarkable spectacle Of the potency of selfappre-
eiating virtues.
Something About Bricks.
In The antiquity of the brick as a building ma
teral it is needless, nor is it indeed our intention
to insist. The great national collections of Europe
the British Museum foremost in the number, shows
US bricks, sun dried and baked, from the ruins CT
Nineveh, and from the days ofthat city to the pres
ent moment bricks have never ceased TO be an i'm
portant instrument in the hands of the builder
That throughout Asia Miner tney were largely EN-
ployed we hare seen, oiy erfy recently, proved IN
these columns; NJ. Rayet, in his work on Miletus,
having shown that the far-famed palace Of Croesus
was built of no more costly materials than honest
bricks What those bricks were, and their quality,
are even to this day appreciated by the natives,
who for many centuries have plundered the ruins
to build or to patch up their own even moro ruin
Gus houses The use Of bricks among the Romans
who largely employed them as building materials,
as we in the familiar instance of the Temple OF
Concord, has been more than once the subject of
the inquiry Of industrious antiquaries, for the Ro
mans were not content with producing the fiat,
tilelke brick which is SO often TO be met with in
the lower portions of antique structures scattered
over the empire, and that are known in England,
but their bricks are indelibly stamped with the
mark Of their maker, the names of the reigning
consuls, and sometimes the year. From this source,
then, more than one patient arch@ologist has
gathered rich store of information. But few in
quirers have ventured far on the apparently arid
and difficult road, which has hence remained little
explored.-7he Builder,