The period of Mr. Adams’s administration, was not one which admitted of acts calculated to rivet the attention, or excite the admiration and applause of the multitude.  No crisis occurred in national affairs—­no imminent peril from without, or danger within, threatened the well-being of the country!  Quietness reigned throughout the world, and the nations were allowed once more to cultivate the arts of peace, to enlarge the operations of commerce, and to fix their attention on domestic interests—­the only true fountain of national prosperity.  But though lacking in some of the more striking elements of popularity, the administration of Mr. Adams was preeminently useful in all its measures and influences.  During no Presidential term since the organization of the Government, has more been done to consolidate the Union, and develop its resources, and lay the foundations of national strength and prosperity.

The two great interests which, perhaps, received the largest share of attention from Mr. Adams’ administration, were internal improvements and domestic manufactures.  A special attention to these subjects was recommended in his messages to Congress.  And throughout his term, he failed not to urge these vital matters upon the attention of the people, and their representatives.  He recommended the opening of national roads and canals—­the improvement of the navigation of rivers, and the safety of harbors—­the survey of our coasts, the erection of light houses, piers, and breakwaters.  Whatever tended to facilitate communication and transportation between extreme portions of the Union—­to bring the people of distant sections into a more direct intercourse with each other, and bind them together by ties of a business, social and friendly nature—­to promote enterprize, industry, and enlarged views of national and individual prosperity—­obtained his earnest sanction and recommendation.  To encourage home labor—­to protect our infant manufactories from a fatal competition with foreign pauper wages—­to foster and build up in the bosom of the country a system of domestic production, which should not only supply home consumption, and afford a home market for raw materials and provisions, the produce of our own soil, but enable us in due time to compete with other nations in sending our manufactures to foreign markets—­he yielded all his influence to the levying of protective duties on foreign articles, especially such as could be produced in our own country.  The wisdom of this policy, its direct tendency to promote national wealth and strength, and to render the Union truly independent of the fluctuations and vicissitudes of foreign countries, cannot be doubted, it would seem, by those possessing clear minds and sound judgment, of all parties.