relentingly severe in
dealing with opponents, it is as fine a specimen of political
controversy as exists in the language. Its historical value cannot be
exaggerated, but apart from this as a mere literary production it is
admirable. Happy were the thirteen that they one and all went down to
their graves complaisantly thinking that they had had the last word in
the quarrel, little suspecting how great was their obligation to Mr.
Adams for having granted them that privilege. One would think (p. 219)
that they might have writhed beneath their moss-grown headstones
on the day when his last word at length found public utterance, albeit
that the controversy had then become one of the dusty tales of
history.[8]

[Footnote 8: It is with great reluctance that these
comments are made, since some persons may think
that they come with ill grace from one whose
grandfather was one of the thirteen and was
supposed to have drafted one or both of their
letters. But in spite of the prejudice naturally
growing out of this fact, a thorough study of the
whole subject has convinced me that Mr. Adams was
unquestionably and completely right, and I have no
escape from saying so. His adversaries had the
excuse of honesty in political error--an excuse
which the greatest and wisest men must often fall
back upon in times of hot party warfare.]

But this task of writing a demolishing pamphlet against the prominent
gentlemen of the neighborhood to which he was about to return for his
declining years could hardly have been a grateful task. The passage
from political disaster to social enmities could not but be painful;
and Mr. Adams was probably never more unhappy than at this period of
his life. The reward which virtue was tendering to him seemed unmixed
bitterness.

* * * * *

Thus at the age of sixty-two years, Mr. Adams found himself that
melancholy product of the American governmental system--an ex-President.
At this stage it would seem that the fruit ought to drop from the (p. 220)
bough, no further process of development being reasonably probable
for it. Yet Mr. Adams had by no means reached this measure of
ripeness; he still enjoyed abundant vigor of mind and