The Washington times., 1901-10-20

1 among the officers VINO supported
| Washington, and one of those enerni IS
a young man named Alexander Hamil
| ton. was a dangerous foe. on his re
| turn TO America, Adams felt that hi!
| old jealousy of Washington had not los
| any OF its force. He did not relish be
| ing Vice President under anybody. bu
| he accepted the office, and discharged
| the duties faithfully and intelligently.
During his terms as Vice President
| Adams often helped his party by a
casting vote, and it was clearly the
right thing for the Federalists to make
| him President. He won, however, by a
narrow margin. and the fact that one
wing of the party desired Pinckney
| rather than himself was plain, plain
enough To anger a gentler spirit than
that OF John Adams. His Inauguration
was another bitter draught The pee-
pie cared more for the departing Wash
ington than for his incoming successor,
and a mcst undiGnified letter shows
how Adams felt this. Adams could not
accept the patent fact that George
Washington was the first American of
his time. The calmer jefferson saw
Washingtons great strength, and told
his friends that it would be difficult to
elect a Democratic President while
Washington lived.
In youth and manhood, at home and
abroad, in whatever field John Adams
had labored, his sheaf had been forced
to bow to some other sheaf. As Presi-
dent he soon found that the majority
of Federalist voters We're on his side,
but that the majority of the leaders
were followers of Hamilton. To be
ranked by washington was bad
enough. but to be ranked by Washing
toms private secretary was still worse.
The mention of Hamilton's name
caused Adams to rage and foam. An
CRY words We're reported, perhaps eX-
aggerated, and the Federalist party
was soon divided into hostile factions.
The newspaper attacks on John Ad-
ans were often brutal, but there can
be no doubt that he often invited many
of them by his vanity. With all due
allowance for partisan exaggeration,
the facts show that Adams made him
self a target for the cartoonists.
War with France seemed probable
ana Washington accepted the chief
command, with the implied assurance
that Hamilton was TO rank next to him
self. Adams refused to give Hamilton
such rank, whereon Washington stated
that Hamilton must have the rank in
question. or he CWashington) would re-
sign. Adams could not afford to quar-
rel with George Washing ton, and so he
yielded. more than ever aware that he
was only President in name. 1t was for
Hamilton to dictate, for Washington TO
demand, and for him to obey. Adams
had been a statesman of continental
reputation when Hamilton was scarce
ly out of college. Now. Hamilton,
though out of office. could force
President of the United States to do his
viii. The political gossips laughed over
the Presidents rage, but the grave old
Federalists did not laugh, and the cam
paign of 1890 opened with Odds in favor
of the Democrats.
Sun. there was a fighting chance of
success, and Adams might have won
had not the wrathful Hamilton written
a pamphlet. in which the vanity, the
hot temper. the inconsistency of the
President were recorded with merciless
fidelity. Hamilton pleaded that he only
meant TO circulate the pamphlet among
his friends: but Aaron Burr got hold Of
a copy and the rest may be guessed.
For once. at least, the Democratic ed
itors quoted Hamilton with delight.
Down went the Federal party, and John
Adams was q beaten candidate. In
youth he had envied Otis; in Europe he
had been surpassed by Franklin; he
had come home to be Washington's
he had been thwarted by
Hamilton. and now he sank, while his
Vice President rose over his head. All
this rushed upon him. and he could not
endure it. Aiaddened and desperate, he
left Washington. and the Inauguration
was marked by his absence.
Tire popular saying that John Adams
eft washington because he envied JEFF
rerson in, success is not true. We must
take into account a whole lifetime of
,hagrin. It would have been wise and
for Mr.. Adams to have
attended the Inauguration Of his sue
,essor: but before we condemn the
fault we should consider the suffering.
Calrner men than John Adams might
not have been able to endure the long
series of mortifcations that drove our
second President into mis- undignified
retreat.