Year: 1871

His Views Of the Present Democratic


SituatiOn--IIe FavOrs the 'POSSum


Policy.


ST. Louis, November 29-Iohn Quincy
Adams, Ol Massachusetts. has written u
letter, which will appear in the Missouri
hepHOticaA tomorrow, In which he warm


y endorses the sOCalled "pOssum poll.
cy" for the Democrats in the next Presi
Dental election, In the course of the let
ter he says:


n am satisfied that such course would
bo wise and polite, and should be glad
to see the Democracy concur in such a
resolution. | regard the present admins
tratiOn as national calamity, cOntinu-
ancG Of which should be Overted at almost
any sacratice, not because II Is Republican
in politics, but because il is mean In char
aCter, sordid in tone, corrupt and arbitrA-
ry; because, more than any we have had,
It has disappointed the hopes and deaden.
cd the generous aspirations of good men
OF all parties; because 1t is doing more
TO permanently disunite the States
than the government of Jefferson Davis
ever did, because It's chief can conceive OF
no means OF free government but military
force, and no motive ol public action but
private profit, -Four years more of such
an education in family patronage and
martial law will 80 blunt the keen sensi-
bilities Of popular liberty that our ignOble
incubus might as well remain fixture.
Now, l believe that the Democratic party
Is pOwerless alone to relieve us. | think
II Is without hope Of carrying the next
election. have no doubt that II the votes
of any of the States lately In rebellion
were necessary to elect the Democratic
candidate they would be thrown out In
counting mere majority. Even II 1t
could be mustered we will not be permit
ted to elect n Democrat TO be the next
President. Nothing will then remain but
civil war or submission to u usurper, and
1t Is difficult to decide which alternative
would inniCt the more iTIeparable injury
upon the habit Of free government to
dismiss an incompetent official and avoid
q governmental crisis. The Missouri policy
offers tho only reasonable possibility
which is offered, but while frankly
avow my partality Tor the project, | do
not blink at the very serious obstacles to
Its adoption. 1t must subdue the pride Of
party and break the bonds Of party dis
Cipline. Now, there are lew more Obsti-
nate passions than the sentimental deVo.
tiOn which men Oiler TO that vague alb.
straction OF party glory, and not many Of
the creeds Of theology are as despotic as
platform, II will be difficult task TO
bring party, yet glowing with the recol-
leCtlOns Of q mighty past, and yet burning
with anticipatiOns Of great future, to
yield the bend Of the column and the COM
nand Of the field TO the allies who
were yesterday enemies; nor Is there any
strong guaranty that these allies will not
finch, ms the lost party leaders are seldom
famous for the high moral courage which
can abide unshaken the stern pressure
that forbids the rupture Of party tics.
But if they dare fling down the gauntlet
for duel TO the death with the President,
II might be possible for the Democracy TO
rise 10 tho height where the humiliation
Of the partisan Is lost in the satisfaction Of
the patriot. But II is charged that the
sacrifice will be to win, or, worse, to sur.
render the whole scheme of Democratic
liberty and he base and bound TO It's enc
mics. l do not fOrbOdC the event. can.
not believe that the protest against die
tatorial government can be weakened by
joining band which deserts II because Is
hostile to civil liberty. win the enemies of
corruption in office, disbHnd because they
unite with those who have sickened and
turned away from the sight OF corruption.
Can friends oil the Constitution preserve
and protect II more strGnnOusly by reius.
Ing to hold up their hands who have for.
saken their own friends, rather than de-
face II further. II seems to me on the
contrary that tho strength of the support
which this movement would bring to tho
rescue of the principles Of Democracy
would be in exact proportion to the SO.
verify of the blow TO the pride Of the
Democratic party. For these principles
must be dear indeed to the men who can
abandon for them an ancient and honored
name, and not less precious, to those
who dare TO follow them even through
tho scum, contempt and Obllqy which
await nolitical treAsOn."