John Quincy Adams’s (JQA) diary, which was inspired by his father John Adams (JA) and started as a travel journal, initiated a lifelong writing obsession. In 1779, twelve-year-old JQA made his second trip abroad to accompany his father’s diplomatic mission. While in Europe, he attended various schools and traveled to St. Petersburg as an interpreter during Francis Dana’s mission to Russia. He subsequently served as JA’s secretary at Paris during the final months before the Anglo-American Definitive Peace Treaty was signed in September 1783. Two years later, JQA returned to the US. After graduating from Harvard College in 1787, he moved to Newburyport to read law under Theophilus Parsons and in 1790 he established a legal practice in Boston. JQA’s skill as a writer brought him public acclaim, and in 1794 President George Washington nominated him as US minister resident to the Netherlands.
John Quincy Adams (JQA) entered diplomatic service in September 1794 as US minister resident to the Netherlands. He married Louisa Catherine Johnson (LCA) in July 1797 after a fourteen-month engagement, and their three sons were born in this period. During his father John Adams’s (JA) presidency they moved to Berlin where, as US minister plenipotentiary, JQA signed a new Prussian-American Treaty of Amity and Commerce. JQA returned to the US in 1801 and entered politics, elected first to the Massachusetts senate in 1802 and then to the US Senate in 1803. His contentious relationship with fellow Federalist members over his support of some Democratic-Republican policies led to his removal from office. In May 1808 the Federalist-controlled Massachusetts legislature voted to replace him at the end of his term, prompting JQA’s resignation in June. Between 1806 and 1809 he also served as the first Boylston Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory at Harvard.
John Quincy Adams (JQA) returned to diplomatic service in August 1809 as the US’s first minister plenipotentiary to Russia. In St. Petersburg JQA was well-liked by Emperor Alexander I and closely followed the battles of the Napoleonic Wars then raging across Europe. When the US declared war on Great Britain in 1812, Adams watched from afar as the conflict dragged on for two years. In April 1814, he traveled to Ghent, Belgium, as part of the US delegation to negotiate an end to the war with England; the Treaty of Ghent was signed on Christmas Eve. Subsequently appointed US minister to the Court of St. James’s in May 1815, JQA served in London for the next two years.
John Quincy Adams (JQA) served as the US secretary of state during James Monroe’s presidency. Adams’s duties included organizing and responding to all State Department correspondence and negotiating agreements beneficial to the US. His achievements as secretary of state include the Anglo-American Convention of 1818, which established the US border with Canada along the 49th parallel, and the Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819 (Transcontinental Treaty), which resulted in the US acquisition of Florida. JQA also formulated the policy that became known as the Monroe Doctrine, in which the US called for European non-intervention in the western hemisphere, specifically in the affairs of newly independent Latin American nations. As Monroe’s presidency came to an end, JQA was among the top candidates in the 1824 presidential election. When no candidate earned the necessary majority, the House of Representatives decided the election in JQA’s favor in February 1825.
John Quincy Adams (JQA) was inaugurated as the sixth president of the US on 4 March 1825 and began his administration with an ambitious agenda of improvements for American society. His presidency was embattled. Supporters of Andrew Jackson, who believed their candidate had unfairly lost the 1824 election, worked ceaselessly to foil JQA’s plans. Domestically, JQA refused to replace civil servants with partisan supporters, and his administration became involved in disputes between the Creek Nation and the state of Georgia. JQA’s foreign policy also suffered, as partisan bickering in Congress failed to provide timely funding for US delegates to attend the 1826 Congress of Panama. Political mudslinging in advance of the 1828 presidential election was particularly fierce, and by mid-1827 JQA knew he would not be reelected.
In 1831 John Quincy Adams (JQA) became the only former president to subsequently serve in the US House of Representatives. As the chairman of the House Committee on Manufactures, he helped compose the compromise tariff bill of 1832. He traveled to Philadelphia as part of a committee that investigated the Bank of the United States, drafting a minority report in support of rechartering the bank after disagreeing with the committee’s majority report. JQA regularly presented the antislavery petitions he received from across the country, and he vehemently opposed the passage of the Gag Rule in 1836 that prevented House discussion of petitions related to slavery. He opposed the annexation of Texas, and in 1838 he delivered a marathon speech condemning the evils of slavery. JQA also chaired the committee that oversaw the bequest of James Smithson, which was used to establish the Smithsonian Institution.
During his final years of service in the US House of Representatives, John Quincy Adams (JQA) continued to oppose the Gag Rule that prevented House discussion of petitions related to slavery. In 1839 he joined the defense team for the Africans who revolted aboard the Spanish slave ship Amistad. The Supreme Court declared the Amistad Africans free on 9 March 1841 after JQA delivered oral arguments in their favor. In 1842 JQA faced a censure hearing and ably defended himself against charges from southern congressmen. He introduced a successful resolution that finally led to the repeal of the Gag Rule in 1844. JQA voted against both the annexation of Texas in 1845 and the US declaration of war with Mexico in 1846. He collapsed on the floor of the House on 21 February 1848 and died two days later.
r Hurd, Mr Norman, and Mr Montreal,
the last of whom informed me that a Courier had this morning arrived
from the Emperor, with the news
that Napoleon Bonaparte, on
having the Decree of the French Senate notified to him declaring that he
was cashiered, had immediately abdicated the throne, and thus that the
War is at an end. With this prospect of a general Peace in Europe, I
commenced my Journey, to contribute if possible to the restoration of
Peace to my own Country— The weight of the trust committed though but in
part to me; the difficulties to all human appearance insuperable, which
forbid the hope of success; the universal gloom of the prospect before
me, would depress a mind of more sangwine complexion than mine— On the
Providence of God alone is my reliance— The prayer for light, and
vigilence, and presence of mind and fortitude, and resignation, in fine
for strength proportioned to my trial is incessant upon my heart— The
welfare of my family and Country, with the interests of Humanity, are
staked upon the Event— To Heaven alone it must be committed— That my
duty may be performed in sincerity, with fervent zeal, and unsullied
integrity is my heart’s desire and prayer to God.— And let his will be
done!
At half past One O’Clock afternoon I left my house, after taking leave of
Mr and Mrs
Smith. My dear
wife and Charles
came with me to Strelna, the first Stage, where we dined together at the
Post-house opposite the Grand-Duke
Constantine’s Summer-Palace. At half past four I embraced
them, and committed them to the Protection of a kind and gracious
Providence, and proceeded on my Journey, with my Servant Axel Gabriel Gåhlroos a native of Åbo
in Finland, whom I have engaged to go with me.
| Stages. | Versts. | Paid. | Time of Arrival. | Departure. |
From St: Petersburg |
R: C. | 28 April 1:30 P.M. | ||
| to Strelna. | 18. | 34:01 | 3:30 P.M. | 4:30 |
| Kipene. | 23 1/2 | 5:45 | 6:45 | 7:30 |
| Koskova | 19. | 4:55 | 9:30 | 10:15 |
| Czerkovitz. | 21 | 4:95 | 29. April 1:15. A.M. | 2: A.M. |
| Opolié | 22 1/2 | 5:25 | 5:00 | 5:30 |
| Jamburg | 15 | 3:75 | 7:00 | 7:45 |
| Narva | 22 1/2 | 5:25 | 10:35 | 11:30. |
| Waiwara | 20. | 7:75 | 2:45 P.M. | 3:45 P.M. |
| Chudleigh | 17. | 4:15 | 5:30. | 6:15 |
| Jeve | 11. | 4:05 | 7:30 | 8:00 |
| Wargel | 20. | 6:75 | 10:15 | 30 April 6:00 AM |
| Hohenkreutz | 22 | 7:35 | 8:30 AM. | 9:00 |
| Pedrous | 23 | 7:65 | 12:30 P.M. | 1:00 P.M. |
| Loop. | 21 | 7:05 | 3:45 | 4:50 |
| Kahal | 22 | 7:35 | 7:15. | 8:00 |
| Jegelicht | 23 | 7:65 | 1. May 1:00 AM. | 8:00 AM. |
| Reval. | 21. | 7:85. | 11:00. |
This table contains the itinerary of my journey from St: Petersburg to Reval— Upon my application
to Mr
Weydemeyer, he sent me a Passport for my self and my
Servant; with a sealed letter to General
Wiasmitinoff the Military Governor of the City, which I
sent yesterday to him, on which he furnished me the Padorojna or Order for Post-horses— The order was for four
Courier horses, and was to be exhibited to the Post-Master at every
Station. It mentioned that the road was from St: Petersburg to Reval—that it was 341 Versts, the horses to
be paid for at the rate fixed by the Ukazes, and that 27 Rubles 28
Copeeks, that is 8 Copeeks per Verst was paid for this Padorojna.— For
the horses the first Stage, to Strelna the charge was seven Copeeks for
each horse per Verst, and the rest of the Road 5 Copeeks per Verst and
horse— At each stage I paid 50 Copeeks to the Postilion, and 25 Copeeks
to the Starost, or Peasant who furnished the horses.— They were all
satisfied with this, and never asked for more— I have marked down in the
table the legal payments at each Stage, including the 75 Copeeks to the
Postilion and Starost— The first Stage also includes the 28 Rubles for
the Padorojna, the Governor’s Clerk who made it out having kept the odd
Copeeks for himself. My actual payments were in some instances more than
I have here set down, but the difference was a mere trifle. I have also
marked the time of my arrival at each Stage, and of my departure from
it; which will shew the average rate of travelling, and the time of
detention at each Post-house for the horses. It was never less than half
an hour, and seldom much more, excepting 94when I
stopp’d to take some refreshment, or to have the wheels of the Carriage
greased.— I found the roads this Evening excessively rough— The Snow was
gone almost universally— The frost had come out of the ground making the
roads deep and they were now frozen hard again— The weather was cold,
but the Night clear; and with a Moon nearly at the full.— I concluded
therefore to travel the whole Night. At Koskova, I remarked the
conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter.