Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/49

ADAMS.ADAMS. Adams's term of service would close on March 3 the next year. James Lloyd was chosen his successor by a majority of thirty-five in a vote of four hundred and sixty-one. Mr. Adams immediately wrote a dignified letter of resignation which was accepted. During his senatorial term, in the summer of 1805, he had been chosen professor of rhetoric and oratory in Harvard college. He accepted the position and began his first course of lectures in July, 1806, and continued to fulfil the duties of the professorship until his appointment in the summer of 1809 as minister to Russia. President Madison had nominated him in March, but the senate decided it to be inexpedient, at that time, to authorize the mission. Three months later, however, the nomination was confirmed by 19 to 7 — and for over four years he had his residence in Russia. He was received with great courtesy and appears to have enjoyed his mission exceedingly. During his residence abroad Mr. Madison offered him a seat on the bench of the supreme court of the United States, which he declined. Meanwhile the war of 1813 occurred, and the Czar proffered his services as arbitrator between the United States and Great Britain. This Great Britain declined, but suggested a mutual conference of commissioners at Ghent. This was assented to, and in December, 1814, terms of peace were agreed upon by which, under Mr. Adams's wise diplomacy, special fishery advantages were secured to the United States. A new commercial treaty was negotiated July 13, 1815, about six weeks after his appointment as minister to England. He remained in Great Britain till he received from President Monroe an appointment as secretary of state. During his occupancy of this office he secured the cession of Florida through the Spanish minister, Senor Onis, in consideration of the payment of $5,000,000 to liquidate claims against Spain by American merchants. He stood by General Jackson in upholding what he deemed the rightful claim of the United States to Spanish Florida, and favored the recognition of the independence of the revolted Spanish American colonies. By cautious policy he avoided all complications with the South American colonies; and emphasized and secured the authoritative recognition of the so-called "Monroe Doctrine," of which he was one of the principal authors.

In 1824 Adams, Jackson, Crawford, and Clay were candidates for the presidency. The vote being indeterminate, the choice was thrown into the House of Representatives, resulting in the election of Adams as president. John C. Calhoun was vice-president. On assuming the functions of office President Adams appointed Henry Clay of Kentucky to the portfolio of state, Richard Rush of Pennsylvania to the treasury, James Barbour of Virginia, to the war department, and retained of Mr. Monroe's cabinet, Samuel L. Southard of New Jersey, as secretary of the navy, John McPherson Berrian of Georgia, as attorney-general, and John McLean of Ohio, as postmaster-general. There was but one change in his official family during his administration, when, on the appointment of James Barbour as minister to England, he made Peter B. Porter of New York secretary of war. The appointment of Clay as secretary of state created much feeling, Mr. Adams being vehemently accused by Jackson and his partisans as having in this way consummated a bargain by which the presidency had been secured. This was afterward proved to have no foundation whatever. During his administration, party lines became more distinct between the Whigs on the one side, advocating high tariff, internal improvements, and a national bank, and the Democrats on the other opposed to such measures. It was also at this time that the so-called "spoils system" was agitated, Mr. Adams taking a position similar to the practice of civil service afterward adopted, but Jackson claiming that "to the victors belong the spoils." During President Adams's administration General Lafayette was the nation's guest; he reached New York the middle of August, 1824, made a tour of the states which was virtually a continuous triumphant ovation, and spent the last weeks of his stay at the White House in Washington, where he celebrated his sixty-eighth birthday, Sept. 6, 1825. He visited Jefferson, Madison and Monroe at their homes in Virginia, and took leave of President Adams and the country on the 7th of September. The parting between the president and his guest was touching. He embraced Mr. Adams twice and shed tears. The eloquent address of Mr. Adams and the admirable reply of Lafayette on this occasion are preserved. At the close of his administration, failing of re-election, Mr. Adams returned to his home at Quincy. His residence there was not long, however, as he was elected to congress by the anti-Mason party in 1831, and served as a national representative for about sixteen years. During this long term of service he was never deterred by threats or by the large majority against him. He stood on principle and contended for the right, and nothing could make him swerve from any course which his conscience approved. On taking his seat in Congress his first act was to present a memorial of the "Friends" in Philadelphia concerning the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia. In 1835 he upheld Jackson in demanding from France the payment of $5,000,000 agreed upon for injury done our commerce in the Napoleonic war. This course was not approved by Massachusetts and cost him a seat in the United States senate. This did not