New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-10
CASE OF HEREDITARY BIAS.
HENRY ADAMS As \ HISTORIAN.


A%D SOUTH.
Tothe Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Mr.. Henry Adans's History of the tnitci
States of America has met with such general ip-
prevail from tie critic, tia: it would seem 10 be
an act of tcmerity on thc part Of ElNii'" I" ~
press different opinion of the work. N'vcrtic-
less, with all due Difference 10 tlesc abe writers
for the press, who are justly entitled TO the re-
spect and confidence Of the reading public. vent
ure to dissent II may he admitted that there
is much to commend-evidencc of industry IL
searching original sources, graceful style ana
skiful treatment of subject But it falls below
the true standard Of history. Industry may do
much to make up for lack Of genius, hut can 1t
overcome an iniirmty Of temperament? One
familiar with American political life would hardly
select an Adams for historian. From father to
son have been handed down the passions and
prejudccs engcntcred by party strifc-seltish am
bition, overwccning vanity and the ranking
wounds Of disappointed hopcs-and it is not in
human nature-that is, in Adams human naturc-tO
forget the warfare of tie past, or to fOrcgO the
revenge that opportunity invites. The late John C.
Hamilton narrated short time before his death
incident that illustrates this tendency I'm the
Adams blood When he advertised his
purpose TO publish the writings of Alex
ander Hamilton, he received letter from
the then head Of the house of Adams, inGuirns
il he intended TO include in the Works the
Reynolds pamphlet, and notifying him that if it
were omitted his correspondent would deem 1t his
duty TO cause it to he repubshed.
To insist that shall make public fathers
weakness is the refinement of hereditary hatred.
If the reader have patience {" follow to tn"
end, he will find some evidence that our hist
is true Adams, and thai within the pages of a
thinly vciled the prcjudiccs and hatrcdS of the
elder Adams and his The pages reflect the
fcrvid vocicratorS and rancorous aspcrsons of
the Cunningham correspondence Letters to the
Boston Patriot. Memoirs Review of the WORKS
Of Fisher AmcS, etc. etc, toned down to suit the
taste of the present day. in order the more clcctu
ally 10 damn antagonists and enemies. The good
historian, says i.ucln, must he the friend OF
truth. neither giving nor Withholding from any.
from favor or from enmity." Henry Adams Is
not such historian.
1t is not my purpose in this communication
formally to criticsc Mr.. Adlmss performance.
There is ample material ready to the hand of
my who has the leisure to traverse his four
Volumes. To show how far short it comes of hCne
thorough and truthful history Of the lcriod II
covers. Let il suffice here to exhibit some of its
rsrcprcscn, ltons and injustice. There is
with ii the fame of contemporary public men vino
i,cIrred the cn,ty Of John and John Quincy
Adams
FtDEEALI>r FACTIoNS-C, N>rlRACY STORY.
The Fe'cl list lenders supported John Adams
o: tie Successor of Washington with many n>-
l;yinas. Ii was impossible 10 predict tie char
acir: Of his ADMINISTRATION VITA any ccrt'lIfY
frcnl III, prcy.oH> career. though ne was pretty
al.
TN, j, what hclcl and the result was an N secn'y
pciso..L w1rf' e. involving the leading Federal
is. and political divisions and scandals IN all OF
tie States TIC rc,pni.>il il tv-ju>l> or unjus,ly
G cs not now iIalici was !ar al the door Oi Mir.
AGani>. II is c,;ia~ that there was great una
n:..iiy among tie p,r,y leaders in holding linn
,cspul si'lc. and they gave expression to their
r,..-a b.: i. i i'G-l'.c. " l"is m'1'' "r"
Fisher tmcs, IS viniictivc enough al any FISK OF
c>en rua t. lis ppoint those who viii. ne 'hlnis
a'one G..'?rc"i :iY'." Kuj no one drew - true
t. portrait rs Ils,.il,on This for obvious reasons,
il j rcr.>.lry - I"proIfc" here Thus wrote
l!a",;.r,4:
1,ol ~ .,.cl .l :.;n. y'lic,. ~ NY Subsequent
t>r,,lc. i.., ca,..i,:,a. i"t he IT, a nnn "i an
Il d, .,...H I'D ..'r. - &C. "'irc: lr"p'l"I~
T.- It. a.. I'D, -..l,. of -",ud juds'n": nor
in 4 .:.~"y a-..s "a >y~'"rarc plan g! CON
Gucf. I'd d. i.l ,r;.rjV' what h. been ,i'' 700
rtrif - TIA. 10 ~ 'r' ri''d thI nlf, TlI.a'"
,.,i..l, Sc: c.-,.}.la.= c;,r> Object.
IluD.iioi. vas The - Know icd-cd leader. AMI
j, "a, 80 Ia Tie i.1iTrc al 80 vain man as
Adams t. for-.vc 'lr F,,lc.ai!>,, vino passed. him
Nv Tie members "i his 'ah.n"t. who were
driven on, liter lis ,.cir., WIS assured. well a.
their ls>u,i.Ic> came N cor his GIsricdSn!r ana
fine displca,urc of hi, family. Cabot. Parsons.
A!ac>. ',1oc:FirA. Tracy, Hri>w"!d, were ever
otter un lcr condemnation. Even Jay. klng and
Mnr,i, were under sn.p.cirn. nay not try Your
,:ii,n,,. with iN!rc-,uid tales, Of TIE in@ra'iiuc'
OF Timothy Pickering in urin- ~" re- "r'I"n %
Colonel Smith, who l!cd married n d."@hf"r OF
Mr. t,anis and of the CORES 1oHdrnc' OF Pi">'rn-
Wolcoti and Nc!icnry with the Great lender OF
,hc Fe,lcr,!,t, Tina, they incurred the hatred
Of Adams is we'll Known and That they and
Others closely Identified with Hamilton were sub
sc,ucntlv accused of ire. Soiahlc intentions b%
John Quincy ADAMS is also well known. the
same Eimcs flare in Henry AIain>'s chapters on
Conspiracy" in which is reported IN" S'"'T
ORIGINALLY conided T. Jefferson hv J"hn Quincy
Adam in Il hurst If confidence 81 IN" tim" when
lc Was hcromn. an aro5ta'c, and rccn,iN elan
Grated in New Encard Federalism. This Is
not the place TO anayze that story. II rests upon
a SENDER foundation. and it is alm',' certain
tha, but for the disappointment of john Ada'n>
and tic necessity Of smoothing WAY over which
hi, ambitions son might safely pass 70 The rank:
Of tlc triumphant enemy u would haH" '""l
recorded rs IA triAing incident in local p"t' "S
Til, is evident from tie Circumstance th"' PIX
erinr the chief "coIIspra:or' WHO Wcrt ah"I'
plotting in a Inanucr :" open rs 10 confuse on"
notions az siracyl. retained the conn
dence esteem and Friendship Of TIE pnr"H
and most eminent citizens III H." tn"n--"t john
JAY. Chief Justice M,r,l:al, Char""'lor kcn'
Rufus Kim and othcrs-who commented his p'
litical principle, and applaul"d his puh" r'nr"'
This tley would not have done IT, as orr historian
declares but fails 10 prove. Pickering lad 'cci
an enemy Of his country, or even dangerous i'll
triguer.
VIRGINIA RULES TIL NATION
The leading men Of both parties of the Norti
ohafed under Nir,inion dcrl,Hati ion. and often dis
cusscd plans for throwing off the political yoke
Burr and then tho C!ntonS amolIg the Rrnnh