These were high encomiums.  But who among the American people, now that the patriot has departed from earth, can survey his life, his character, and his services, and not acknowledge they were justly and richly deserved?  Similar resolutions were passed in all the eastern and many of the northern States.

The west brought forward Henry clay, one of the most popular orators and eminent statesman of the day.  Gen.  Jackson, who had earned a splendid military reputation, was nominated in the southwest, and Wm. H. Crawford was selected as the candidate representing the southern portion of the confederacy.  These were all men of eminence and of acknowledged talents.  They were worthy competitors for the highest honors of the Republic.

The friends of Mr. Adams rested his claims for the presidency on no factitious qualities.  They urged that his characteristics were such as to commend him to the confidence of every true republican and well-wisher of his country.  While his attainments were not of the showy and popular cast possessed by many public men, they yet were of that solid, practical and valuable description which must ever receive the sanction of intelligent and reflecting minds.

The qualifications on which his supporters depended, and to which they called the attention of the American people, as reasons for elevating him to the head of the General Government, may be summarily enumerated as follows:—­1.  The purity of his private character—­the simplicity of his personal habits—­his unbending integrity and uprightness, even beyond suspicion. 2.  His commanding talents, and his acquirements both as a scholar and a statesman. 3.  His love of country—­his truly American feelings, in all that concerned the welfare and honor of the United States. 4.  His long experience in public affairs, especially his familiarity with our foreign relations, and his perfect knowledge of the institutions, the internal condition and policy of European nations. 5.  His advocacy of protection to domestic manufactures, and of a judicious system of internal improvements.

In regard to internal improvements by the General Government, there was a difference of opinion between Mr. Adams and President Monroe.  The latter was strongly impressed with the beneficial tendency of a well-digested system of internal improvements; but he believed the constitution conferred no power on Congress to make appropriations for such a purpose.  It was in this view of the subject that he vetoed a bill which assumed the right to adopt and execute such a system, passed by Congress during the session of 1820-21.  But anxious that internal improvements, confined to great national purposes, and with proper limitations, should be prosecuted, he suggested that an amendment of the constitution to that effect should be recommended to the several States.