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.
th:
of last Month— Soon after breakfast I went in to London— I had appointed
to meet Mr
Couling at my Office at three O’Clock— I returned him his
Letter of proposals; and he engaged to furnish me with another next
Saturday— There was a Mr
Conan whom Mr Smith introduced to me, and
who mentioned the accounts from America, of the Death of Mr S.
Dexter of Boston. Received a Note from Lord Castlereagh enclosing a copy
of an Order from the Lords of the Treasury to the Commissioners of the
Customs, to repay all extra Tonnage duties, levied upon American
Vessels— Three Letters from my
Mother; one to George, and two to my wife. A Letter from Thomas
Pride, a Land Surveyor and Draftsman in Monmouthshire;
wanting to go to the United States—A pamphlet—the Account and Plan of
the Society of Friends of Foreigners in Distress; sent by the Treasurer,
Mr
William Vaughan.— Mr J. A.
Smith went with me to the City of London Tavern, in Bishopsgate Street,
where we dined with this Society. The Duke of York was to have been in the Chair but sent an
Apology of being engaged in business, and with the Prince Regent. The Duke of Kent brought his excuse, and presided in his
stead— The Duke of Sussex was
prevented from attending by illness— The Duke of Gloucester, by particular engagement— Prince Paul Esterhazy, Count Lieven, Mr
Pfeffel, Baron
Rehausen, Count
Munster, and Baron
Just, and Count Jenison,
Walworth were there; with a company of about four hundred
persons, Lord de Dunstanville,
and Mr J. C.
Villiers, brother of the Earl of Clarendon, were the principal personages of this
Country, present— Lord Castlereagh—Mr Vansittart and some
others sent excuses. Mr Dubachefsky and the Chevalier Seguier, the Russian and
French Consuls were also there— I sat at table, between Lord de
Dunstanville and Mr Dubatchefsky; whom I met
at Countess Colombi’s at dinner
in the Summer of 1813. and had not since seen. Mr S. G.
Perkins of Boston was likewise of the Company. Mr Villiers recognized and spoke to me,
having been present when I had my first Audience of the Queen— I had seen him before that, when
we were presented to the king of
France at the Thuileries, in February 1815. I did not then
know him; nor his name until this day. He told me that Mrs Bagot,
the wife of the British Minister
in the United States was his niece, and I find that he married Mrs
Wellesley-Pole’s
Sister.— He spoke highly both of
Mr and Mrs
Bagot, and told me that they were much pleased with their reception in
America. Count Lieven and Prince Esterhazy, before dinner hinted to the
Duke of Kent, that if their Sovereigns should be toasted or themselves
they could not make speeches— He said laughing that if they would tell
him in three words what to say he would speak for them— But that I could
speak English very fluently, and I must speak for them all— The hour
appointed for the dinner was precisely half past five O’Clock, and the
company actually sat down about six— The dinner was good, and the
toasting began early— The king, in
respectful silence— The Prince Regent, Protector, and the Queen,
Protectress of the Society each as well as the following toasts with
three times three— The Emperor of
Russia, and the King
of Prussia were drank successively as Protectors, the Duke
of 5Kent, introducing their healths with an
appropriate eulogium, in each case, and especially reminding the
company, of the urbanity and affability displayed by those Sovereigns
when they dined with the Society at their anniversary two years ago. The
Duke also returned the thanks of Count Lieven for the toast; and also
for the Prussian Minister, when the king was toasted. Baron Jacobi was not
present— The next toast was the Emperor of
Austria; upon which the Duke, for Prince Esterhazy,
addressed the Company; assuring them that although the Emperor was not
yet one of the Protectors of the Society, it was only because he had
been prevented from executing his intention of coming to this Country
with the other Sovereigns two years ago. But that he the Prince should
write an account of this meeting, and had no doubt he should receive
authority to subscribe for the Emperor as one of the Protectors— The
Duke next toasted his royal Sisters, the Princesses,
patronesses of the Society; with an apology for his egotism, and an
affectionate panegyric upon the benevolence of their dispositions.— The
Princess Charlotte and the
Prince of Coburg were drank, with
the same marks of enthusiasm in her favour which I have witnessed on
many late occasions.— The Duke of Kent’s own health was then proposed by
Lord de Dunstanville, one of the Vice Presidents and Stewards of the
day, who introduced it with some complimentary remarks— The Duke
returned thanks, with assurance, of his attachment to the Society and
its objects, and with allusions to his intention of shortly leaving the
Country for some years. The Duke of York and the Army, the Duke of
Clarence and the Navy; and the Duke of Gloucester, the first Patron of
the Society were toasted successively; after which the Duke of Kent
gave, the Foreign Ambassadors and Ministers present, prefacing it with
remarks upon his personal satisfaction, at seeing so large a number of
them, Ministers of Peace, from Countries with whom this Nation but a few
years since, had unfortunate differences— The Hall he said in this
respect, exhibited a contrast, most auspicious to this Country to the
aspect which it would have had, only four years since— The Duke then,
with the assent and request of all the Ambassadors present, called upon
me to answer the toast; which I did nearly to this
effect—“Gentlemen,—Deeply sensible as I am, to the honour done me, by my
illustrious and excellent colleagues, in calling upon me to make our
common acknowledgments for that which you have done us in the toast just
given by His Royal Highness from the Chair, I feel myself no less at a
loss for words than they can be, suitably to make this return for your
goodness to them and to me— For although I am indebted for this
distinguished charge, to the accidental advantage of speaking the same
language as most of you; yet I must intreat your indulgence when I say
that expressions suitable to convey the sense of their gratitude and
mine, are at this moment as little at my command as at their’s. If,
Gentlemen, it were the highest honour of this Institution, that it has
for its Protectress, Her Majesty, the Queen Consort of this Realm, a
Princess, who throughout life, has been by her private and domestic
virtues, a model for her sex, as by her civic virtues she is an ornament
to her exalted station— That it has for its Protectors, His Royal
Highness the Prince Regent, the acting Sovereign of this Great Empire;
and joined with him, a second Alexander, more glorious than the
first—glorious, not by the conquest of the Earth, but by saving the
Earth from Conquest; and a Frederick-William, glorious by having
redeemed his kingdom and his Country, as by fire, entire and unimpaired,
from the furnace of adversity— That to these, you have had this day, the
promised expectation of shortly adding the name of their brother in arms
and in virtue; His Majesty the Emperor of Austria.— That among the names
of your Patrons and Patronesses, you reckon those of many Princes and
Princesses, of the most resplendent lines in Europe— That you have the
happiness of seeing in that Chair, a Prince of the illustrious House of
Brunswick, to whose personal character beneficence is so congenial, that
wherever it forms the basis of association, there, he seems naturally
called to preside— If, I say, Gentlemen, these were your highest
honours, well might my honourable Colleagues, well at least might I find
my powers of language exhausted, in attempting to convey to you the
sentiments which would animate us, in hearing our names thus associated
with such great and glorious names— But, Gentlemen, these are not your
highest honours— Proud as you have reason to be of these high
distinctions, your highest honour in my estimation, and I will presume
to say in that of those noble persons who have permitted me to address
you in their names, is the principle of your association— That principle
which has connected all those great and glorious names with your
Society, and with your exertions.— Gentlemen, the sublime language of
your immortal Poet, who asked a Kingdom for a Stage, Princes to act, and
Monarchs to behold the swelling Scene, is not large enough for the
purposes of your Institution— Your Theatre, is not a single kingdom, but
the whole habitable globe— Your Actors are Princes and Monarchs—and the
beholders; are the blessed Spirits that encircle the throne of
Omnipotence— They look down on labours like these with complacency—they
behold, the swelling 6Scene with delight— For the
Action, the object of your labours is the first, and noblest of moral
and Christian virtues—Charity— Charity in its most extensive sense—
Charity, not confined to one language, one religion or one Country, but
expansive as the Globe, and universal as the blessings of Providence.
Gentlemen, to give utterance to the feelings which fill the bosoms of my
noble colleagues, and my own, in return for the notice bestowed upon us
by such an Association, is beyond the powers of language possessed by us
all. We can only say in the honesty and simplicity of our hearts, we
thank you.”— This address was very well received— Lord de Dunstanville,
Mr Villiers, and the Russian and French
Consuls, complimented me civilly upon it. Mr
Villiers asked me if I had been prepared for it.— I told him I had not
had a conception until the moment when we sat down to dinner, that I
should be called upon to answer for the whole Corps Diplomatique— But
the truth is, I was not gifted by nature with the talent of
extemporaneous speaking; and on this and all the other similar
occasions, I have felt myself in much embarrassment, and have got
through without discredit, only by revolving during the dinner time,
what to say; a process not remarkably favourable to the enjoyment of the
conviviality of the table— My aukwardness was this day aggravated, by an
observation of a Gentleman, who sat opposite to me at the table, that he
had heard at one of these same dinners, some years ago, a Speech from
Mr
Pinkney which he should never forget, and of which he
spoke in an extasy of admiration— I confess the eulogy might have come
at a more acceptable moment— But this Table-Cloth Oratory, is one of the
duties of an American Minister in this Country, which I had not
anticipated— The Vice Presidents of the Society were toasted next, for
which their thanks were returned in a short Speech by Lord de
Dunstanville. Mr Charles Murray the Secretary read an account
of the proceedings of the Society, and the donations and subscriptions
of this day, amounting to upwards of £700— Mr Vaughan the Treasurer was toasted, and returned thanks, in
so low a voice that although near him at table, I could not hear him.—
The Stewards of the day were given, and Lord de Dunstanville returned
thanks for them.— Then the foreign Clergyman, the founders of the
Society, for whom Mr Schwabe returned thanks in good language, but
with a German accent— Another foreign Clergyman, a Mr Kuper,
was also toasted, and thanked— Lastly the Duke of Kent, gave, the
Directors of the Society, and observed that as it was growing late, he
would join in the toast, the Secretary Mr
Murray.— He returned thanks for them all.— The Duke of Kent’s Band of
Music attended, and performed during and after the dinner— Non Nobis was
sung after dinner— This is a gloomy piece of Church-Music, which at
almost all these Public Dinners they sing, instead of a Grace after
meat. They had also besides the usual National Songs, God Save the king,
and Rule Britannia; several others; grave and gay. About half past ten
the Duke of Kent left the Chair; and was followed, by the persons of the
Centre Table— I sat down Mr Smith at Craven
Street, and got home between twelve and one— Mr Pfeffel told me that a new Minister from Wurtemberg,
General Neiffer had arrived, and that
Count Baroldingen was
recalled— Mr Perkins spoke of the late
accounts from America, as being full of commercial distress, and
threatening many failures—which he attributes to the process of getting
the new Bank of the United States into Operation.— He thinks of sailing
next week with Mrs
Perkins for Boston.