Part 1 (1/2)
Life and Public Services of John Quincy Adams.
by William H. Seward.
PREFACE.
The claims of this volume are humble. For more than half a century JOHN QUINCY ADAMS had occupied a prominent position before the American people, and filled a large s.p.a.ce in his country's history. His career was protracted to extreme old age. He outlived political enmity and party rancor. His purity of life--his elevated and patriotic principles of action--his love of country, and devotion to its interests--his advocacy of human freedom, and the rights of man--brought all to honor and love him. Admiring legislators hung with rapture on the lips of ”the Old Man Eloquent,” and millions eagerly perused the sentiments he uttered, as they were scattered by the press in every town and hamlet of the Western Continent. At his decease, there was a general desire expressed for a history of his life and times. A work of this description was understood to be in preparation by his family. It was not probable, however, that this could appear under several years, and when published, would undoubtedly be placed, by its size and cost, beyond the reach of the great ma.s.s of readers. In view of these circ.u.mstances, there was an evident want of a volume of more limited compa.s.s--a book which would come within the means of the people generally,--and adapted not only for libraries, and the higher cla.s.ses of society, but would find its way into the midst of those moving in the humbler walks of life. To supply this want, the present work has been prepared. The endeavor has been made to compress within a brief compa.s.s, the princ.i.p.al events of the life of Mr. Adams, and the scenes in which he partic.i.p.ated; and to portray the leading traits of character which distinguished him from his contemporaries. It has been the aim to present such an aspect of the history and principles of this wonderful man, as shall do justice to his memory, and afford an example which the youth of America may profitably imitate in seeking for a model by which to shape their course through life. How far this end has been attained, an intelligent and candid public must determine.
THE LIFE OF JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.
CHAPTER I.
THE ANCESTRY, BIRTH, AND CHILDHOOD, OF JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.
The Puritan Pilgrims of the May-Flower landed on Plymouth Rock, and founded the Colony of Ma.s.sachusetts, on the 21st day of December, 1620.
HENRY ADAMS, the founder of the Adams family in America, fled from ecclesiastical oppression in England, and joined the Colony at a very early period, but at what precise time is not recorded. He erected his humble dwelling at a place within the present town of QUINCY, then known as MOUNT WOLLASTON, and is believed to have been an inhabitant when the first Christian Church was gathered there in 1630. On the organization of the town of Braintree, which comprised the place of his residence, he was elected Clerk of the Town. He died on the eighth day of October, 1646. His memory is preserved by a plain granite monument, erected in the burial-ground at Quincy, by JOHN ADAMS, President of the United States, and bearing this inscription:--
In Memory of HENRY ADAMS, Who took his flight from the Dragon Persecution in Devons.h.i.+re, in England, and alighted with eight sons, near Mount Wollaston.
One of the sons returned to England, and after taking time to explore the country, four removed to Medfield and the neighboring towns; two to Chelmsford. One only, Joseph, who lies here at his left hand, remained here, who was an original pro- prietor in the Towns.h.i.+p of Braintree, incorporated in the year 1639.
This stone, and several others, have been placed in this yard, by a great-great-grandson, from a veneration of the piety, humility, simplicity, prudence, patience, temperance; frugality, industry, and perseverance of his ancestors, in hopes of recommending an imitation of their virtues to their posterity.
Joseph Adams, the son of Henry Adams mentioned in the above inscription, died on the sixth of December, 1694, aged sixty-eight years. Joseph, the next in succession, died February 12th, 1736, at the age of eighty-four years. His son John Adams, was a Deacon of the Church at Quincy, and died May 25th, 1761, aged seventy years. This John Adams was the father of him who was destined to give not only undying fame to his ancient family, but a new and powerful impulse to the cause of Human Freedom throughout the world.
JOHN ADAMS, son of John Adams and Susannah Boylston Adams, was born at Quincy on the nineteenth day of October (old style), 1735. He received the honors of Harvard University in 1755, and then, in pursuance of a good old New England custom, which made those who had enjoyed the benefits of a public education, in turn impart those benefits to the public, he was occupied for a time in teaching.
It ought to encourage all young men in straitened circ.u.mstances, desirous of obtaining a profession and of rising to eminence, to know that John Adams, who became so ill.u.s.trious by talents and achievement as to lend renown to the office of President of the United States, pursued the study of the law under the inconveniences resulting from his occupation as an instructor in a Grammar School.
John Adams was an eminent and successful lawyer, but it was not the design of his existence that his talents should be wasted in the contentions of the courts.
The British Parliament, as soon as the Colonies had attracted their notice, commenced a system of legislation known as the Colonial System, the object of which was to secure to the mother country a monopoly of their trade, and to prevent their rising to a condition of strength and independence. The effect of this system was to prevent all manufactures in the Colonies, and all trade with foreign countries, and even with the adjacent plantations.
The Colonies remonstrated in vain against this policy, but owing to popular dissatisfaction, the regulations were not rigidly enforced. At length an Order in Council was pa.s.sed, which directed the officers of the customs in Ma.s.sachusetts Bay, to execute the acts of trade. A question arose in the Supreme Court of that province in 1761, upon the const.i.tutional right of the British Parliament to bind the Colonies. The trial produced great excitement. The cause was argued for the Crown by the King's Attorney-General, and against the laws by James Otis.
It will be seen that the question thus involved was the very one that was finally submitted to the arbitrament of arms in the American Revolution.
The speech of Otis on the occasion, was an effort of surpa.s.sing ability.
John Adams was a witness, and he recorded his opinion of it, and his opinion of the magnitude of the question, thus:
”Otis was a flame of fire! With a prompt.i.tude of cla.s.sical allusion, a depth of research, a rapid summary of historical events and dates, a profusion of legal authorities, a prophetic glance of his eyes into futurity, a rapid torrent of impetuous eloquence, he hurried away all before him. AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE was then and there born. Every man of an unusually crowded audience, appeared to me to go away ready to take up arms against Writs of a.s.sistance.”
Speaking on the same subject, on another occasion, John Adams said that ”James Otis there and there breathed into this nation the breath of life.”
From that day John Adams was an enthusiast for the independence of his country.
In 1764 he married Abigail, daughter of the Reverend William Smith, of Weymouth. The mother of John Quincy Adams was a woman of great beauty and high intellectual endowments, and she combined, with the proper accomplishments of her s.e.x, a sweetness of disposition, and a generous sympathy with the patriotic devotion of her ill.u.s.trious husband.
In 1765, the British Parliament, in contempt of the discontent of the Colonies, presumptuously pa.s.sed the Stamp Act; a law which directed taxed stamped paper to be used in all legal instruments in the Colonies. The validity of the law was denied; and while Patrick Henry was denouncing it in Virginia, James Otis and John Adams argued against it before the Governor and Council of Ma.s.sachusetts.