nature to meditate anything he would not publish to the world. The measures of the general government are a fair subject for difference of opinion-but do not found your opinions on the notion that there is the smallest spice of dishonesty, moral or political, in the character of John Adams for I know him well and I repeat-that a man more perfectly honest never issued from the hands of the Creator." Demagogues-read the above just encomium upon his opponent by a candidate for an office-then search for a parallel case of magnanimity among modern politicians-if you find one, proclaim it to the people of our vast country that they may be convinced a true patriot is in our midst-a lump of genuine salt in the body politic. Mr. Adams proceeded to the conscientious and independent discharge of his presidential duties, prompted by the best motives for the good and glory of the infant Republic. He was an open, frank oldschool federalist. During his administration the ranks of the democratic party increased rapidly, which defeated his re-election. Much has been written and more said relative to the causes that produced his political overthrow. To my mind the solution is plain and brief. His cabinet was not of his own choice-he was too independent to bend to party intrigue-he opposed the humiliating demands of the then selfstyled democratic France-he advocated the augmentation of the navy of the United States and recommended the law for the suppression of the venality of the press. In the two first points he was impolitic as the head of a party-in the two next he did what all now acknowledge to be right in principle. On the last, he took the wrong method to correct an evil that has caused unceasing trouble from that time to the present-an evil that will ever exist in a government like ours, because, in annihilating this, we should destroy an essential part of our political machinery-A FREE PRESS. The three last were the strong points seized upon by his opponents, which enabled them to achieve an easy victory. He retired with a good grace on the best of terms with his successful opponent and his own conscience. He supported the policy of Mr. Jefferson towards England and approved of the declaration of war in June 1812. He attributed the opposition of the eastern states to the impolicy of our government in neglecting the navy. He compared them to Achilles, who, in consequence of his being deprived of Briseis, withdrew from the Grecian confederacy. The increase of the navy was a long-nursed theory of his national policy. Had his views been carried out by our country, our nation would now have been mistress of the seas. As it is, we have scarcely armed vessels enough to protect the expanding commerce of our enterprising merchants-a fact that is often tauntingly referred to by Englishmen and has often crimsoned the cheeks of liberal-minded Americans. If all the money that has been expended within the last twenty years in worse than useless legislation and speech-making throughout these United States had been appropriated in building ships of war, our navy would now be larger than that of Great Britain. Add what has gone into the hands of peculators since the formation of our Republic-it would sustain that navy for thirty years. Some of our people have been occasionally a little too free. Soon after his retirement from the presidential chair, Mr. Adams was solicited to become the governor of his native state, which he declined on account of his advanced age. In 1817 he was placed at the head of the list of presidential electors. In 1820 he was elected president of the convention that revised the constitution that he had written forty years previous. The compliment was duly appreciated by him but his infirmities did not permit him to preside. He imparted much counsel and rendered special aid in the revision. This was the last public act of this great man. Two years before this, the partner of his bosom had gone to her final rest-an affliction most keenly felt by him. She was a Christian-to know was to love her. Surrounded by friends who delighted to honor him-his country prosperous and happy-enjoying the full fruition of divine grace which had produced the green foliage of piety through a long life-political animosities buried in oblivion-his now frail bark glided smoothly down the stream of time until the fiftieth anniversary of Independence dawned upon our beloved country. On the morning of the 4th of July 1826, an unexpected debility seized him but no one supposed he was standing on the last inch of his time. He was asked for a sentiment to be given for him at the celebration on that day. "INDEPENDENCE FOREVER," burst from his dying lips, which were the last words he ever uttered with a loud and animated voice. He expired about four in the afternoon without a groan, sigh, murmur or apparent pain, with a full assurance of a happy reception in that brighter world where sin and sorrow never interrupt the peaceful joys of the angelic throng. On the same day and but a few hours previous, the immortal spirit of the illustrious Jefferson had left its tenement of clay, thrown off its mortal coil and returned to Him who gave it. Perhaps these kindred spirits met in mid air and ascended together to an ecstatic meeting with the friends they had loved and lost and whom they should gain, love and never lose. This unparalleled coincidence in death pronuced a deep sensation in the United States and in Europe. The simultaneous departure of two of the noblest spirits that ever graced the theatre of human lifeilluminating the world with freedom-whose acts had elicited the admiration of all civilized nations-whose mighty deeds will be a theme of praise through all time-was an incident that seemed designed by the great Jehovah to impress their precepts-their examples and their names upon the minds of the human family with all the force of Divinity. Mr. Adams was a plain man, low in stature, not graceful in his movements-at times rather repulsive. In public he was austere but in the social circle, familiar, pleasing and instructive. He disliked formal ceremony and abhorred pedantry. He admired and exemplified strong common sense. He spoke his sentiments freely and could not have been transformed into a modern technical politician. His open frankness was proverbial. He called it one of his failings. When looking at Stuart's fine paintings, he fixed his eyes upon the portrait of Washington with compressed mouth-then upon his own, with open lips, and facetiously remarked-"Ah! that fellow never could keep his mouth shut." Such a man never can be a popular politician as the writer knows from experience. The highest eulogy that can be pronounced upon John Adams is the history of his bright and useful career. For more than half a century he served our country ably and faithfully. He continued to impart salutary counsel until the curtain of death closed the scene. In all the relations of private life he was too pure for the palsying touch of slander. The foulest of all pestiferous atmospheres-party spirit-could not, dare not approach his private character with its damning miasma or impute to his public action an iota of political dishonesty or impurity of motive. If any demagogue dares to contradict this position, let him hear the voice of Jefferson from the tomb-"AN HONESTER MAN THAN JOHN ADAMS NEVER ISSUED FROM THE HANDS OF THE CREATOR." SAMUEL ADAMS. MANY of the sages and heroes of the American Revolution were consistent and devoted Christians-some of them eminent ministers of the gospel of Christ. They all were evidently actuated by motives of purity, prompted by the demands of imperious duty based upon the inalienable rights of man. They had no innate love of military glory |