The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-29
A NEW STORY OF JOHN ADAMS.
As Told By His Body Servant to the
Writer.

Colonel B. f. Watson in New York
Independent: Away back in the
40s' a student of divinity and another
of law. hailing from the region of
Massachusetts bay, projected a trip of
300 miles, including in its scheme
visit to the White mountains. The
day of bicycles had not then dawned,
and railroads in their infancy had
reached no nearer to che White hills
than Franklin, n. H, when we,
prompted by scanty means, resolved
to give the goby to stages and taverns
ana take to the road, trusting to such
entertainment as farmhouses would af-
ford. After long days dusty tramp
along the picturesque shores of Lake
WinnipeSakee, nightfall found us sue
cessfully seeking supper and lodging
at an ordinary farm cottage in the
town of Moultonboro, Carroll county
n. II. Our farmer host was a middle
aged man as unattractive to us as we
doubtless were to him in our travel
stained condition, until he felicitOusly
matched our boyish brag by casually
mentioning that he had been for sew
eral years the body servant'-he did
not say the valet-of the elder Adams.
Fresh from the declaiming at school
Adams glowing speech in the conven-
ton of the colonies-"Sink or swim,
live or die, survive or perish, give my
hand and my heart to this vote"-the
announcement electrified us and awed
US as though we were close to great
ness itself. and that humble farm
house seemed to our youthful enthu-
siasm the antechamber of a patriotic
presence. The body servant" must
have appreciated our awakened in
tereSt, for he kindly patronized us
While we inquiSltively sought to make
the most OF this chance association
with one who he'd been personally so
close to the great revolutionary agi-
tator; the bold defer of kings and par
pendence;" the nominator of George
Washington to be commander-in-
chief of the armies of the Revolution;
the man preferred by his countrymen,
next to Washington. for first president
of the United States.
AS a 'nightcap" he told how John
Adams received the news of the
election of his son to the Dresi-
dency in the year 1924. No candidate
in that canvass having secured d ma
jority of the electoral votes. the choice
between them devolved upon the house
of representatives. The strife for this
highest gift of the people was then, as
now, intense, and as there was little
disposition to yield the coveted prize
the result was long suspended in doubt
while the country was anxious to know
whether the republic could Withstand
the strain this controversy for Office
was putting upon it. The elder Adams,
a his home in Quincy, Norfolk county,
Mass, on the border of Boston harbor.
watched the contest, keenly interested
for the triumph of his party, as well
as overwhelmingly anxious for the sue
cess of his son, who, Notwithstanding
his distinguished services as embassa-
dor of his country, had received in the
previous CANVASS for the presidency
only one electoral vote to 231 cast for
James Monroe. Mr.. Adams gave per-
emptory orders that the final result of
the election should be communicated
to him as soon as received, whatever
the hour of day or night. The electoral
votes originally for Henry Clay turned
the scale, and finally John Quincy
Adams was elected sixth president of
the United States, Clay becoming sec
rotary of state. There were in those
days no telegraphs nor telephones, nor
even railroads to convey the news
over the 500 or 500 miles between the
city of Washington and the home of
the Adamses; for though Watts had 50
years before discovered the utility of
steam and Stephenson had at about
this same year of 1924, in England, ap-
piled steam to the uses of Transports
ton. it was six years thereafter be-
fore our country could boast of %
miles of railroad, since expanded into
more than 10000 miles. In what man
ner the news was carried to New York
City our host did not know, but from
thence he said it was taken in a
printed Slip" by a messenger on
horseback at great speed and with
many relays. 1t was past midnight
when the tidings reached Quincy, and
Mr.. Adams was then sound asleep. He
as well as the household was promptly
awakened, fires were kindled and |
lamps set a-burning. He Insisted up1n
being completely dressed with most |
scrupulous exactness in knee buckles. |
ruff and periwig, and was then as
sisted into the library and seated in
his easy chair. When all the details |
Of preparation were complete the mes |
senger was introduced and allowed to /
read and requested to re-read the |
printed slip. At the conclusion of the |
reading the aged patriot "cried like a |
child, and all in attendance cried in |
sympathy with the patriarch whose |
cup of earthly honor was indeed full |
to running over