Table Of ContentTHE NATIONAL
CYCLOPEDIA OF
AMEEICAISr
BIOGEAPHY
BEING THE
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES
AS ILLUSTRATED IN THE LIVES OF THE FOUNDERS, BUILDERS, AND DEFENDERS
OF THE REPUBLIC, AND OF THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE
DOING THE WORK AND MOULDING THE
THOUGHT OP THE PRES-
ENT TIME
EDITED BY
DISTINGUISHED BIOGRAPHERS, SELECTED FROM EACH STATE
KEVISED AND APPROVED BY THE MOST EMINENT HISTORIANS, SCHOLARS, ANI»
STATESMEN OF THE DAY
'OLUME
II.
NEW YORK
JAMES WHITE & COMPANY
T.
1921
9^0
5:^6
Y
COPTEIGIIT, 1891, 1899 AND 1931,
By JAMES T. AVHITE & CO.
[All rights reserved.']
1
ADAMS, John, second president ofthe United bitionsand decided interest in public and secular
States, was boin at Braintree, Mass., Oct. 30 (old affairs, determined him to renounce this intention,
style 19), 1735, .sou of John and Susanna(Boylstoii) and he entered upon the studj' of law in the office
Adams. His father (1091-1760) was a well-to-do ofJames Putnam, of Worcester. On Nov. 6, 1758,
farmer, an ofHcer in the niili(ia in early life, and he wasadmitted to the bar.in Boston, where he at
afterward deacon of the church and selectman of onceentered uponprofessionalpractice. Withwhat
the town of Braintree his motherwasadaughterof earnestnesshe took up the serious duties of active
Peter Boylston of Broo;Utine, and granddaughter of life we may gather from his diary, in which he
Tliomas "Boylston, a noted Boston merchant. The sagelyadvises himself to "let no trifling diversion
fnae)nnti,lypoh-saidtioh—uelfdroamrtehpeutfaobulned,aatilotnhooufghthneotMaassparcohmui-- dcaercdosy, nyoouflufterso,mnoyovuirolinbso,oknso;drneoss,girnlo, ntoobagcucno,, nnoo
sett—s colony beingfor the most part small farm- laziness." Tliis determination to succeed, coupled
ers but its standing was liighlyesteemed byPres. with the favorable circumstances of comparatively
Adamshimself, who once remarked that hisaristo- few lawyersand the deeply-rooted litigious habit of
cratic tendencies found a betterfoundation in "de- thetimes,rapidlybrought him into prominenceand
scent from alineof virtuous,independentNewEng- comparative competence ; he also filled, duringthe
land farmers for ahundred and sixty years" than firsttenj'earsofhiscareer,severallocaloffices(select-
T"hferoemarlrieegsatlAomrerniocbalne sacnocuenstdorrelwsassinHceenrthyeAfdlaomods.," mBraani,ntarsesee)s—sorhoannodrsovwehrisecehr'o'fintdhiecaptoeotrhaftoratyhoeutnogwmnaonf
who, in December, 1640, received a grant of forty iswellthought of byhis neighbors." Anotherfac-
acres atBraintree, and has been supposed tobe tlie torinthedevelopment of his character and career
brotherofThomas Adams, of Plymouth, England, was a fervid patriotism and keen insight into the
one of the original grantees of the Massachusetts general trend of public events which enabled himto
charter and assistant to both Govs. Cradock and early outline the possibilities and future pohcy of
Winthrop. From him the line of descent runs the American colonies in dealingwith theirinternal
through his son, Joseph Adains (1636-94), a select- affairs. In1756, when but twenty-one years ofage,
man of thetown of Braintree and surveyorofliigh- and longbefore the general popular discontenthad
ways, and his wife, Abigail Baxter through their developedintoadesireforseparationfromthemother
son, JosephAdams(1654-1737),alsoa;fai-merand se- country, hewrote to a filend these almostprophetic
lectman of the town, and his secondwife, Hannah, words: "Soon after the reformation a few people
daughter of JohnBassand granddaughter of John came overintothe new world for conscience' sake.
Alden, of Plymouth and through theirson, John Perliaps thisapparentlytrivial incident maytransfer
Adams, theelder. Jo; hn Adams, 2d, was educated the great seat of empire into America. It looks
tuhnedeFrirtshteCdoirnegcrteigoantoifonRaelv.ChJuorsecphhofMarBrsahi,ntpraeset,oranodf lGiaklelliycktso,moeur;pfeoorplief,yaocucocradningretmootvhee etxhaecttensit-bucloemn-t
Joseplr Cleverly, sometime reader of the local Epis- putations, will in anothercentury become more nu-
copal church. He entered Harvard College, where merous than England itself. Should this be the
hinegw—asnogt—rhaidsuoawtnedscihnol1a7s5t5ic; ahtistafianmmielnyt'ss,saoscsiaolmesthaanvde- coafset,hesinnacteiowneihnaoveu,r Ihamndasy,siatyw,ilalllbteheeansayvatlo osbttoariens
asserted ratinghimfourteenthInaclass oftwenty- themasteryofthe seas, andthen theunited foice of
four. AmonghisclassmateswereJohnWentworth, all Europe will not be able to subdue us. The
baronet and royal governor of New Hampsliire only Tvaj to keep us from setting up for our-
and Nova Scotia William Browne, judge of the selves is to disunite us. Divide et impera. Keep
MofassthaechuUs.etSt.sdsisutpri;rcetmecoucroturtfo;rDMaaviinde,Seawnadll,Sa.miuudegle iuns ienacdhistcionlcotn)c^olodneiseisr,inagndthtehenmosnoamrechgyreaotf mtehne
Locke, president of Harvard College (1770-73). whole, they would destroy each other's influence
Shortlyaftergraduation he became teacher of the and keep the country in equilihria." James Otis'
"circuit" grammar school at Worcester, where he brilliant speecli, in 1761, against the writs of assist-
remainedforsomewhat over a year, instructing, as ance stillfurtheradded to his passionatededication
he says "alarge numberoflittleruntlings, just ca- tothe cause of true freedom; and when, four years
pable of lisping ABC, and troubling the master," later, the entire colonyrose in protest against the
and, as shown byhis diary, pondering deeply over arbitraryenactments ofthestamp act, hefomidhim-
questions oftheologywitha possible view of enter- self suddenlybrought forward as a popular hero.
ing the ministry. In the end, however, his "lib- A—lthough tliemob violence ofthepeople of Boston
eral " views on theology, coupled withhis greatam- the destruction of thehouses of stamp-distributor
II—
THE NATIONAL CYCLOPAEDIA
Oliver and Gov. Hutcbinson—thoroughly revolted den in any pait of the world. Here are fortunes,
him, he became the leader of the nuilcoutents of abilities, learning, eloquence, acutenessequal toany
Braiiitree, drawiui; up and circulatinga petition for I ever met with"in my life. Here is a diversity of
a town-meeting, which athis iustaace imanimously religions, educations, manners, interests sue!/ as it
adopted instructions toits representative in the gen- would seem impossible to unite in one line of con-
eral court iu relation to the matter. These resiilu- duct." Itseemsclear, also, from his diary and let-
tions, being publishedin the newspapersof the day, ters, that he was atthis time neithersettled on any
wereadopted by fortyother towns of theproviuce; distinct course of action norfully confident of abil-
and JohnAdams,thus becoming apublic character, ityand attainmentssufHcieutto cope with the issues
^^asappointed ofcounselforthecityofBoston, with at hand. Indeed, some months previous, April 9,
Jeremiah Gridleyand James Otis,to present a me- 1774,hehadwritteu to JamesWarren expressingthe
morial prayingthe governor and council to remove opinion. "thatthere is not spirit enough on either
the obstructions placed upon court and commercial side to bringthe question toacompletedecision,and
businessas aI'eprisal for the general refusal to use that weshall oscillatelike apendulum and fluctuate
the stamps. On this occasion his colleagues con- like the ocean for many years to come, and never
tented themselves with references to the charter obtain a complete redress of American grievances,
rights of tlie colonists violated by the governor in norsubmit to an absohite establishment of parlia-
closingthecourts but Mr. Adamsexceededboth of mentaryauthority, but be trimming between both,
them in the stren;gth aud daringof his argument, aswe have been for ten years past, for more years
advancingthenowfamouspropositionthatthestamp to come than you aud I shall live. Our children
wacet wnaesveirnvahlaivdiansg''cnoontsebuetiendgituoanity,"sewnhsiecho,urtahcetn, mefafeyctsienegrtehveoml,utoifonwshiacnhdwbeeccaonncfeorrnmednoacuodncaecpttiivoen.i"n
brought forward almost from the inspiration of the None the less, he devoted himself heartily to all
moment, he subsequently elaborated by reading measureslookingtoward resistance of Great Britain,
and stud}'intoanabidingprincijileofAmericanlaw. taking prominent part in most of the debates, and
Later, as counsel forJohn Hancock, whowasbeing draftingsuchimportantdocumentsasitsfamousreso-
sued forduties on aca.se of madeira, lauded at night lutions on colonial riglits, and at the end of the first
in deflance of the authorities, he argued similarly, memorablesession returned home toparticipatewith
on the law: "My client never consented toil; he equal vigor iu the Massachusetts revolutionarypro-
never voted for it himself, and he never voted for vincial assembly at Concord, which moved to seize
any man to make such a law for him." Afewdays thepublic revenues, appointed committeesofsafety,
after his argument before tlie council, a Sunday, he andprovided for the arming of forces for hourlyex-
makes this entry in his diary: "At home to-day, pected conflicts. He also continuedhiscontributions
studyinginto taxationwithout consent." About the to the public press, especially a series in answer to
same time he begantocontributearticles on taxation the loyalist arguments of Massachusettensis (David
to the Boston "Gazette,"and some ofhis arguments Leonard) underthe pen-name of Novanglus, which
werereprintedin the London papers, greatly tothe reviewsthepolicyof Govs. Bernard and Hutchinson,
increase of his reputation. His and strongly sets forth the rights and grievances of
legal practice was alsoin a pros- the peopleof Massachusetts province. Thebattleof
perous condition, and he was Bunker Hill removed the last shadow of d(.iubt in
frequently letained in notable his mind on the possibilityof reconciliation, and he
cleagsaels;prhiinscikpeleens parnedsenhtiagthionoroa-f atocctohie'dwiongrlkyoafddsrteismsueldathiingmseclofngwreistshtroetnheewemdostspidrei-t
torical powers beingconsidered cisive measuresin preparationfortheinevitablecon-
an almost certain means of suc- flict, and to cease sending useless petitions to the
cweasss.retAaimnoedn,giuot17h7e0r, otao\idsecsfenhde tkuianlglyadnedclpaarreldiawmaerntag;aitnhsutsEtnhgislasnedconadndcvoenrgyrelsasrgveilry-
,
Capt. Preston for his share in under hisinfluence. In a letterwrittenatthis crisis,
the Boston massacre, and se- Adams declares: "The die is now ca.st. I have
cured his acquittal in spite of pas.sed theRubicon. Sink orswim, live ordie, sur-
the great prejudice existing in vive or perish with mycountry is my tuialterable
regard to the affair. His own determination." He distinguished himself as ahard
active sympathies with the pat- worker, rendering especially valuable services as a
riot cause seemed no bar to the member of the naval committee, forwhich he pre-
y^dmnd conscientious preparation and pared a body of rules, still in force as the basis of
pleadingof the case; his excu.se the jireseut naval code of the United States, and
probably beiug his abhorrence served also aschairman of the board of waraud as
of mob violence. He also defeuded the seven sol- meinlier of the committees on declaring independ-
diersindicted with Preston, and secured the acquit- ence and on foreign relations. During'his sixteen
tal of five. The same year saw Adams elected to months in cougress he was untiring in"the faithful
the general court; but, after a brief and brilliant performance of duty, his custom"being to rise at
career,in course of which lie was freq\iently con- four o'clock inthe morningand towork until ten at
sulted by Gov. Hutchinson on important matters of night. Amonghis other services was his bolil and
administration, he resigned. Thereafter he became diplomatic sti'oke in suggesting George Washington
more and more prominent as adviser and leading forthe chief command, although greatly to thedis-
fspuilriatrtoifcletsli,eepsapterciioatllpayrtt}h'o,.swerointi"ngThnuemeIrnoduepsenpdoewnecre- alpopwoiNnetmwenEtiiogflaJnndleirnsHatnhcuosckdiasnadr'moiinhgertsheofohbivsiofeuls-
of the Judiciary," criticising the action of parlia- hostility tm the part ;f>f the southern provinces to
ment in ordering that the.salaries of .iudges be paid Massachusetts, and practically committingVirginia
bythe crown, and not bythecolony,ashad been the to the policyofresistance andthecause of independ-
practice. Ontheorganizationof thefirstcontinental ence. He had previouslysucceeded in persuading
congress, which met at Philadelphia in 1774, he was congressto adopt thearmy then engaged in besieg-
chosen by the provincial assemblya represeulalive ing the British forces in Boston;"thus laying the
for Massachusetts, together with James Bowdoin. real foundation of an American army, and further
Samuel Adams, Thomas Gushing and Robert Treat preparingtheseveralcoloniesforelTectualand united
aPaninae..ssemObflytahsisnegvaetrhebreifnogr,ehceamwerottogee:th"eIrtouisassuucdh- agcotvieonr.nmeHnetwbaysetahcehfiorsftttohemocvoelotnhieesa,dobpetliioenvionfgstehlaft-
^(fi^Jdmnj
:
OF AMERICAN BIOGRAPHY.
theiuevitablu resultwould be a confederation and France, on Oct. 30th, aud arrivinginEnglandfound
then treaties with foreign powers, aud <jn Maj' 15, himself at onceengaged in laborswhich might ex-
1776, he carried the proposition through congressby tend his residenceabroadf<jranindefiiiitetime. Un-
alarge vote. When the Declaration of Independ- fortunately, however, with theexception of the ne-
ence was signed, July 4, 1776, Adams remarked gotiation ofthetreatiesof peace aud of commerce,
"Itwill be the most memorableepf.ich inthehistory not one of the important objects which he was to
of America. It oughtto be solemnized with pomp have endeavored to gain in England could be ef-
aud parade,with shows, games,guns,bells,bonfires, fected. He was civilly but coldly treated, and his
from one end of thiscontinent totheother,andfrom position was rendered the more trying by the pre-
this time forevermore. You will think me trans- vailingsentiment in government circlesto maintain
ported with enthusiasm, but I am not. I am well asuperciliousindifferencetothewishesof theUnited
aware of the toiland blood and treasure that it will Statesgovernment. Continualperplexities arosealso
cost us to nuxintain this Declaration and supportand from the poverty of congress, aud its expectationi
defend thesestates, yet through all the gloom 1 can that representativesabroadshould obtain money for
esenedtihseworravtihshmionrgelitghhatnaanldl tghleormye;anIsc,aannsdeetthhaattptohs-e nceicoeuss.shaarbyitexopfeinssseusi,ngwdhriacfhtsguapvoentochceam.sfioonrstoometthiemvefs-
terity will triumph in this day's transactions,even large amounts. Adamsfound himself thusharassed
althougii we shall rue it, which I trust to God we by nearly $300,000 of debt,which he was able to
shall not." The optimism of Adams regarding the meet ouly by raising loans from private parties at
outcome of the situationin which the congress had extortionate rates of interest. Whilein London he
placed itself must have had its effect upon those also entered upon
about him. The loss of NewYork and the retreat tlie preparation of
through NewJerseyexcited inhimmoreindignation his"Defenseofthe
than discouragement. He took comfort in every Constitutions of
item of favorable intelligence, and made out of Governmentofthe
everydisasteran occasion forurging amendment in United States of
thoseparticularsin which errors had become appar- America," which,
ent. Although an active member of the Massachu- firstconceivedasan
setts council of 1775, whichvacatedtheofficeofgov- answer to the at- .M^M^nLM^
ernor and assumed supreme authority in the itrov- tacksoftheFrench
ince, and, later in the same yearbeing cliosen chief philosopher and r-nf;
justice of the Massachusetts supreme court, he re- statesman, Tur- Ili
mlionrqeuifsahre-drbeaocthhinignahcitsivwithioelseo-fsouhilsedcodnegvroetsisoinonatlotphoe- giontt,owaanseexlpabaonrdaetde ""j.iii^i^
sition. As was well remarked by Gordon, the his- discussion of the government of various nations
torian of the revolution: "I can never think we of Europe, ancient and modern in their rela-
shall finally fail of success while heaven continues tion to the newly established institutions of the
to the congress the life and abilities of Mr. John United States. Tliis book, issued in London
Adams. In a word, I deliver to you the opinion early in 1783, called down much severe criti-
ofeveryman in the house, and I add thathe pos- cism in America on account of its supposed aris-
sesses theclearest head ofanyman in congress." In tocratic and even monarchical tendencies, but, de-
the latter part of 1777 Adams was appointed min- spite thatit showsevidence of hasty preparation, is
ister to France, and embarking Feb. 13, 1778, on one of his ablest productions, always being most
the frigate Boston, accompanied byhis son, John highly esteemed by himself. In 1780, during the
Quincy Adams, then aboyoftenyears, heremained pendingnegotiationsin Holland,which ended inthe
abroad until the summer of 1779. Itwas designed recognition of the United States, April 19, 1782, he
that he should supersede Silas Deane, one of the prepared aseries of "Twenty-sixLetters upon In-
commissioners sent to formanalliance with France, teresting Subjects, respecting the Revolution of
but on hisarrival he found that tliisalliancehad al- America," addressed to "the giant of the law in
readybeen completed,and Benjamin Franklin com- Amsterdam, Mr. Calkoen," and published in a Ley-
missioned an ambassador. He, however, rendered dennewspaper. Theywere collectedand printedin
valuable service inarranging and systematizing the London in 178C and published in NewYorkin1789,
businessand accounts of the American commission, under the title above given. In 1787 Mr. Adams
which, owing to disagreements, negligence or cor- asked leave ofcongress toresignhis position andre-
ruption, were in asad state. On his return to the turn home toprivate life, and letters of recallwere,
United States, he served as delegate from Braintree accordingly, sent out inFebruar}', 1788, congressat
to the Massachusetts constitutional convention, and the same time passing complimentary res.ol.uti.on.s,
in Octoberhewas appointed commissioner to Great expressingits ''high sense of the services
tBrreiattayinof; hpaeavciengwittwhoGcroemamtisBrsiitoanisn,, tohneeottohenregaottiraetaetya arnetndterruestdstwohtihcehUtnhietyedhaSvteatfesroimn tthiemevartiooutsimiempcoormt--
of commerce with Holland, including a loan from mitted"toMr. Adams, aud expressing thanks "to
the Dutch government. Sailingat oncefor France, him for tlie patriotism, perseverance, integrity and
he went thence to Holland, where, after over two diligence with which he hath faithfully and ably
years of work and of conflict with the hostile served his country." Upontheestablishmentofthe
—schemes of the French prime minister, Vergennes, federal government underthe newlyadopted consti-
also, furjiishing Great B—ritain a pretext for de- tution, Adams was, greatly tothe discomfort of his
claring war on the Dutch he finally succeeded in vanity, chosen vice-president under Washington,
arianging the terms of thetreaty, which was signed wdiom hehad ever regarded as a person somewhat
on Oct. 7, 1782. This being entirely the result of secondaryin importance to himself, who had, as it
his own labors, Mr. Adams ranked it as one of the seems, been the real founder of his fame in giving
greatest triumphs of his life. Meantime, associated him tlie generalship of the army. He, however,
withBenjaminFranklinand John Jay, hecontinued submitted with thebest grace possible, and entered
to work for a treaty of peace, the preliminary ar- upon the somewhat distasteful duties of his new
ticles of which were .signed by the commis.sioners office. Itissaid thathe gavemore castingvotesin
Nov. uO, 1782, and after its conclusion hewas ap- the senatethanallvice-presidentssince,havinggiven
pointed ministertoEngland,although he greatlyde- about twenty, nearly all in support ofWashiugton's
sired to return home. He accordingly sailed from vigorouspolicy, or on someimportant organiclaw.
THE NATIONAL CTCLOPjEDlA
as necessitated by the oftenacrimonious debates of with France wereat this moment in a critical con-
the period, and thestrong oppusition led byTliomas dition. Serious controversieshadarisenbetweenthe
Jefferson, which later crystallized into the Republi- two countries; and Mr. Monroe, then minister to
can (Democratic) party. Up to this time Adams "Versailles, had eithermisinterpreted or disregarded
and Jefferson had generally found themselves in his instructions, thus embroiling us with the wily
agreement, but theirdiverse"theories of populargov- Talleyrand. The exposure of this entanglement
ernment, and later on the French revolution, proved aroused astrong anti-Frenchfeelingandrevivedthe
the causeof an ever-widening breach. Adams con old Federalist party. An offer of mediation by the
sidered the o\Ubreak in France a great evil, and had Dutch hadmet with no successat the hands of the
nohesitationin so pronouncing it on all occasions, Frenchdirectory,whichthrewtheburden of quarrel
"while Jefferson, asis well-known, supported it as a upon the Ameiicau side. War was apiparentlyim-
marked illustration of his favorite democratic prin- pending, and the position in which Pres. Adams
ciples and philosophy. This same event, coupled found himself was one of the gravest and most un-
with thepublicationinFranceof Coudorcet'sdefense fortunate ofcrises. He was, however, asshrewd as
of the position formerly taken by Turgot, moved he was determined, and succeeded in avertingwar
Adams toprepare forthe Philadelphia "Gazette of between the two countries, although at the expense
the United States" a series of " Discourses on Da- of his ownpojiularity with his party,most of whom
vila," acommentaryand reapplication of the noted weie bitterly opposed to France. He nominated as
Italian'sopinions on French history, as set forth in nunister to France, William—Vans Murray, at the
hlaitse''inHistthoerysioxftetehnetChivcielnWtuarry.of FTrhainsced,if"ffeirrsetnciessubeed- tdiumceedmitnhiestmeorsttovitohleentHaopgpuoesitiaonnaincttihoencwahbiicnehtparnod-
tween Adamsand Jefferson, at the time of the sec- the senate hethen added the names of OliverElls-
ond presidential election, caused the friends of the worth, chie;f justice of the supreme court, and Pat-
latter tonominate George Clintonfor vice-president rick Henry, of Virginia, to be commissioners to
against Adams, with the intention ofdefeating him; France, and theirnominations were ratified bythe
tdacanydwhen Washingtondeclinedacandi- senate. Meanwhile his action iu this matter was
for a tlurd term, there arose be- hotlycondemnedbytheFederalists,andfinallybroke
tweenthe two factions thefirstactively the unityof the party. When the new commission
~ partisan contest for the presidency. reached France, Bonaparte was in power,and they
Tinhetrheeflweeldre—Afidvaemsp,roHmaimnielntton,caJnadyi,daJteef-s faroruanndgenmoenfutr.theWrhdiefnlictuhletyeilnecetfifoenctoifng18a0n0 camaimceaboln,e
fersonandThomasPinckney; butinthe the Federalist partywas iufragments, while the Re-
electoral college, owing mostly to the publicans,assumingtobeDemocrats,werestrongand
strength ofJeffersonandthe schemings were rapidly growing under such skillful leaders as
of Hamilton, Adams, although finally Jefferson aiid Buir. Meantime, although Adams
prevailing, received the narrow mar- wasstill popularwith the people, hispolitical oppo-
gin of seveuty-one votes toJefferson's nents loaded him down with the French troubles,
thealien and sedition lawsand manysins of which
he was not guilty. Hisprivate correspondence was
exposed, and, as had been the case in regard to
Washington, he wasaccused ofselectinghis cabinet
under British influence. So close, however, was
everythingpolitical that it was obvious that hisre-
electionwouldbemadealmostimpossible, as, indeed,
proved tobe the case; for, on thefinal ballot in the
electoral college, Jefferson and Bui'r stood seventy-
threevoteseach, Adamssixty-fiveandCharlesCotes-
worth Pinckneysixty-four. The electionwasconse-
quentlyreferredtothehouseofrepresentatives,which
^4"*j^ chose ThomasJeffei'son president and Aaron Burr
~tian^o?H5'^^eeti^aHouse vice-president. ThetriumphofRepublicanprinciples
and of his bitter political rival so disgusted John
sixty-nine. This result brought forth the charge Adams that on the daj' ofinauguration heleft office
fromAdamsthatHamiltonhaddividedthevoteofthe without observingthefoj-mality ofinductinghissuc-
North and East, and that that,with othercontempo- cessorintothepresidentialchair,andforthirteenyears
raneoustroubles,hadbrokenuptheFederalistparty. thereafterthese two great men had nofurtheriuter-
Asa matter of fact, a single voice in Virginia and co\irse. Mr. Adamsretired from public life after an
one in North Carolina had turned the scale in his uninterrupted course of service of twenty-six years,
favor. He tookthepresidential chairwith hisconn- in a greater varietyoftruststhanfell to the shareof
trytorn by dissensions, which were, moreover, in- any otherAmerican of his time. His life furni.shcs
creased bythe troubles arising from thetremendous an excellent illustrati(m ofthe ingratitude of])arties
contest raging between the countries of Europe. and of peoples. Prudent and cautious,yetcourage-
That he feltthe situation deeply isshownbythefol ous and intlexible iu his determination, where such
lowing lines written to his wife: "John Adams qualities were necessary, the reputation of John
must bean intrepid man to encounter the open as- Adams was destined to .sink undera weight of un-
saults of France and the secret hates ofEngland, in deserved odium of the same character which had
concertwith all histreacherousfriendsandopenene- even smirched thatoftheFatherofhisCountry him-
mies in his own country. YetIassure you henever self. The generalneglectwhich he experiencedwas
felt more.sereneinhislife." Inhisinauguralspeech, onlyat last compensated forin 1834 by the election
which was well received bythe public at large, Mr. of his son, John Quincy Adams, tothe presidency
Adams set foilli a comprehensiveview of a policy of the United States, but even then so bitter was
suitable fnrthechiefmagistrate ofthe United States public feelingagainst ttiefatherthat hisallegedmis-
of any [larty, thus disarming his enemies while still deedswere used in the campaign against the son.
more firmly attachinghis friends. Even the oppo- Mr. Adams retired to his estates in tjuincy, Massa-
sition declared themselves lelieved by this speech chusetts, and gave himself up to ngricidtural pur-
from much anxiety,and disiiosed to await further suits, varied by the frequent \ise of ids iien, mainly
developmentsof theexecutivepolicy. Ourrelations inself-defense. Fewmen havefallenmoresuddenly
