Memoir of the Life of John Quincy Adams.

Memoir of the Life of John Quincy Adams., by

Josiah Quincy This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
Title: Memoir of the Life of John Quincy Adams.
Author: Josiah Quincy
Release Date: January 2, 2007 [EBook #20256]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOHN QUINCY ADAMS ***

Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)

[Illustration: Engraved by H. Wright Smith from a Painting by A. B. Durand
I live in the Faith and Hope of the progressive advancement of Christian Liberty, and expect to abide by the same in death.
J. Q. Adams.]

MEMOIR
OF
THE LIFE OF
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.

BY
JOSIAH QUINCY, LL. D.
Justum et tenacem propositi virum, Non civium ardor prava jubentium, Non vultus instantis tyranni, Mente quatit solida.

BOSTON: CROSBY, NICHOLS, LEE AND COMPANY. 1860.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1858, by PHILLIPS, SAMPSON & CO., In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

Stereotyped by HOBART & ROBBINS, New England Type and Stereotype Foundery, BOSTON.

THE PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY,
This Work,
PREPARED AT THEIR REQUEST, IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, BY THEIR ASSOCIATE,
JOSIAH QUINCY.
BOSTON, June 1, 1858.

PREFATORY NOTE.
The ensuing Memoir comprises the most important events in the life of a statesman second to none of his contemporaries in laborious and faithful devotion to the service of his country.
The light attempted to be thrown on his course has been derived from personal acquaintance, from his public works, and from authentic unpublished materials.
The chief endeavor has been to render him the expositor of his own motives, principles, and character, without fear or favor,--in the spirit neither of criticism or eulogy.
JOSIAH QUINCY.
BOSTON, June 1, 1858.

CONTENTS.
PAGE
CHAPTER I.
BIRTH.--EDUCATION.--RESIDENCE IN EUROPE.--AT COLLEGE.--AT THE BAR. --POLITICAL ESSAYS.--MINISTER AT THE HAGUE.--AT BERLIN.--RETURN TO THE UNITED STATES, 1
CHAPTER II.
RESIDENCE IN BOSTON.--RETURNS TO THE BAR.--ELECTED TO THE SENATE OF MASSACHUSETTS.--TO THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES.--HIS COURSE RELATIVE TO THE ATTACK OF THE LEOPARD ON THE CHESAPEAKE.--RESIGNS HIS SEAT AS SENATOR OF THE UNITED STATES.--APPOINTED MINISTER TO RUSSIA.--FINAL SEPARATION FROM THE FEDERAL PARTY, 25
CHAPTER III.
VOYAGE.--ARRIVAL AT ST. PETERSBURG.--PRESENTATION TO THE EMPEROR. --RESIDENCE AT THE IMPERIAL COURT.--DIPLOMATIC INTERVIEWS.--PRIVATE STUDIES.--APPOINTED ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS TO TREAT FOR PEACE WITH GREAT BRITAIN.--LEAVES RUSSIA, 44
CHAPTER IV.
RESIDENCE AT GHENT.--AT PARIS.--IN LONDON.--PRESENTATION TO THE PRINCE REGENT.--NEGOTIATION WITH LORD CASTLEREAGH.--APPOINTED SECRETARY OF STATE.--LEAVES ENGLAND, 59
CHAPTER V.
FIRST TERM OF MR. MONROE'S ADMINISTRATION.--STATE OF PARTIES.--SEMINOLE WAR.--TAKING OF PENSACOLA.--NEGOTIATION WITH SPAIN.--PURCHASE OF THE FLORIDAS.--COLONIZATION SOCIETY.--THE ADMISSION OF MISSOURI INTO THE UNION, 77
CHAPTER VI.
SECOND TERM OF MONROE'S PRESIDENCY.--STATE OF PARTIES.--REPORT ON WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.--PROCEEDINGS AT GHENT VINDICATED.--VOTES WHEN HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES DEFENDED.-- INDEPENDENCE OF GREECE.--CONTESTS OF PARTIES.--ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, 120
CHAPTER VII.
ADMINISTRATION AS PRESIDENT.--POLICY.--RECOMMENDATIONS TO CONGRESS.-- PRINCIPLES RELATIVE TO OFFICIAL APPOINTMENTS AND REMOVALS.--COURSE IN ELECTION CONTESTS.--TERMINATION OF HIS PRESIDENCY, 142
CHAPTER VIII.
PURSUITS OF MR. ADAMS IN RETIREMENT.--ELECTED TO CONGRESS.--PARTIES AND THEIR PROCEEDINGS.--HIS COURSE IN RESPECT OF THEM.--HIS OWN ADMINISTRATION AND THAT OF HIS SUCCESSOR COMPARED.--REPORT ON MANUFACTURES AND THE BANK OF THE UNITED STATES.--REFUSAL TO VOTE, AND CONSEQUENT PROCEEDINGS.--SPEECH AND REPORT ON THE MODIFICATION OF THE TARIFF AND SOUTH CAROLINA NULLIFICATION, 175
CHAPTER IX.
INFLUENCE OF MILITARY SUCCESS.--POLICY OF THE ADMINISTRATION.--MR. ADAMS' SPEECH ON THE REMOVAL OF THE DEPOSITS FROM THE BANK OF THE UNITED STATES.--HIS OPINIONS ON FREEMASONRY AND TEMPERANCE SOCIETIES. --EULOGY ON WILLIAM WIRT.--ORATION ON THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF LAFAYETTE.--HIS COURSE ON ABOLITION PETITIONS.--ON INTERFERENCE WITH THE INSTITUTION OF SLAVERY.--ON THE POLICY RELATIVE TO THE PUBLIC LANDS.--SPEECH ON DISTRIBUTING RATIONS TO FUGITIVES FROM INDIAN HOSTILITIES.--ON WAR WITH MEXICO.--EULOGY ON JAMES MADISON.--HIS COURSE ON A PETITION PURPORTING TO BE FROM SLAVES.--FIRST REPORT ON JAMES SMITHSON'S BEQUEST, 219
CHAPTER X.
MARTIN VAN BUREN PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.--MR. ADAMS' SPEECH ON THE CLAIMS OF THE DEPOSIT BANKS.--HIS LETTER ON BOOKS FOR UNIVERSAL READING.--ORATION AT NEWBURYPORT.--SPEECH ON THE RIGHT OF PETITION.-- LETTER TO THE MASSACHUSETTS ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY.--ADDRESS TO THE INHABITANTS OF HIS DISTRICT.--HIS VIEWS AS TO THE APPLICATION OF THE SMITHSONIAN FUND.--HIS INTEREST IN THE SCIENCE OF ASTRONOMY.--LETTER TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE ON AN ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY.--LETTER ON THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.--RESOLUTIONS FOR THE LIMITING OF HEREDITARY SLAVERY.--DISCOURSE BEFORE THE NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY.--ADDRESS ON THE SUBJECT OF EDUCATION.-- REMARKS ON PHRENOLOGY.--ON THE LICENSE LAW OF MASSACHUSETTS.--HE ORGANIZES THE OUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 268
CHAPTER XI.
SECOND REPORT ON THE SMITHSONIAN FUND.--HIS SPEECH ON A BILL FOR INSURING A MORE FAITHFUL EXECUTION OF THE LAWS RELATING TO THE COLLECTION OF DUTIES ON IMPORTS.--REMARKS ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN EXTENSIVE SERIES OF MAGNETICAL AND METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS.--ON ITINERANT ELECTIONEERING.--ON ABUSES IN RESPECT TO THE NAVY FUND.--ON THE POLITICAL INFLUENCES OF THE TIME.--ON