Charles Francis Adams to Edward Augustus Stansbury concerning his opposition to slavery - American History 1493-1945 - Adam Matthew Digital

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Field name	Value
Collection Reference Number	GLC03863
From Archive Folder	Documents Relating to 1851
Title	Charles Francis Adams to Edward Augustus Stansbury concerning his opposition to slavery
Date	2 January 1851
Author	Adams, Charles Francis (1807-1886)
Recipient	Stansbury, Edward Augustus
Document Type	Correspondence
Content Description	Adams writes to Stansbury, editor of the "Free Soil Courier" in Burlington, Vermont. Attests "the report of what I said at the Convention in the eighth District, which nominated Mr. Mann, is misrepresented, as every thing is misrepresented which comes from the free soil men" (possibly referring to Horace Mann). Seeks to explain his position to Stansbury, arguing that he did not denounce the Democratic Party, but "I did intimate very distinctly that with the other class in both parties, the old, resolute, proslavery set, who consider the maintenance of the country to depend upon the cessation of agitation, I could have no communion." In further reflection, writes, "Really it would seem as if in America nothing is to be regarded as National but Slavery- and every obstacle to its perpetuation over the entire colored race is to be considered as unconstitutional and treasonable... instead of advancing in our notions of Liberty and Law since we became a people, we have been steadily going back to the doctrines of despotism... And all this, we are told is to sustain a Union intended to secure the blessings of freedom!"
Subjects	Politics Election Government and Civics Democratic Party Slavery African American History Treason US Constitution American Statesmen Freedom and Independence Liberty Law
People	Adams, Charles Francis (1807-1886) Stansbury, Edward Augustus (1811-1873) Mann, Horace (1796-1859)
Place written	Boston, Massachusetts
Theme	Government & Politics; Slavery & Abolition; African Americans
Sub-collection	The Gilder Lehrman Collection, 1493-1859
Additional Information	Adams, the son of John Quincy Adams, served as a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts 1859-1862. He was the unsuccessful candidate of the Free-Soil Party for Vice President of the United States in 1848.
Copyright	The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Module	Settlement, Commerce, Revolution and Reform: 1493-1859
Transcript	Show/hide [draft] [excerpt] ... in America nothing is to be regarded as national but Slavery - and every obstacle to its prepetuation over the entire colored race is to be considered as unconstitutional and treasonable - The most astonishing thing of all to witness is the flexibility of senility, and the ingenuity with which every new step of the dictator is excused even when nobody dares justify it. Surely, surely instead of advancing in our notions of Liberty and Law since we became a people, we have been steadily going back to the doctrines of despotism. There is nothing in the writings of Filmer and Hobbes, nothing in the action of Stafford and Laird which goes beyond the teachings of many of the clergy. And all this, we are told is to sustain a Union intended to secure the blessings of freedom?..."Whatever she may have in store, I trust your brother of the Free Press may never have any thing more discreditable to say of me than that I am 'the last Adams.'

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