colonies. American commerce became a prey to both these belligerent nations. As a last resort, Mr. Jefferson determined on an embargo to save the remnant of American commerce. Massachusetts opposed the Embargo act; Mr. Adams supported Mr. Jefferson, for which he was roundly abused by his constituents. It was a characteristic of his whole life not to be a partisan. He was a national man and could not step to party orders. As a result, he was often charged with corrupt affiliation with the opposite party. He was ofton the best abused man in the whole country. For the several things which he did. contrary to the will of his federalist constituents, a small majority elected another person to be his successor at the close of his term, so in March, 1808, he resigned his seat in th Senate.

In 1805 he sought to have Congress levy a duty on the importation of slaves, and thus began his strong public opposition to slavery, which ended only with his life.

In 1804 he was urged to accept the presidency of Harvard university, which he declined, but, instead, accepted the chair of rhetoric and belles-lettres, which he filled to great acceptance.

His lectures were very popular and attended by large crowds from Boston. They were afterward published in two volumes.

MINISTER TO RUSSIA.

In March, 1809, Mr. Adams was appointed minister to Russia. It was a critical and important time. The republic was drifting toward a storm with England; and the president, Mr. Madison, was preparing for the worst. It had demanded the abrogation of the "Orders in Council" and the "Milan Decree." France complied; but England hesitated, haggled, put off, and although she finally complied, she did not do it till the embroilment was on the verge of war, which Congress had declared before the news of England's compliance reached this country. It was important that a strong man had charge of our affairs with Russia. Washington had predicted that the younger Adams would in due time be at the head of our foreign ministry. That time was now approaching.

Mr. Adams was received with marked respect at the court of St. Petersburg. His familiarity with the French and German languages the former the diplomatic language of Europe-his literary acquirements; his perfect knowledge of the political relations of the civilized world; his plain appearance and republican simplicity of manners, in the midst of the gorgeous embassies of other nations, enabled him to make a striking and favorable impression on the Emperor Alexander and his court. The emperor, charmed by his varied qualities, admitted him to terms of personal intimacy, seldom granted to the most favored individuals.

Twenty-eight years before, when a boy of fourteen, he was there as Mr. Dana's private secretary; now he had returned in the prime of manhood, a diplomat of his nation.

While there, the aged Russian minister of the interior estimated the value of all the gifts he had received while in office; and paid the sum into the national treasury. It was an act which Mr. Adams greatly honored. About this time, a Russian bookseller sent him an elegant copy of the scriptures. He kept the copy, but returned the full price of it in money. He believed that public officials should be free from bias, and so should refuse all presents.

Its

While at St. Petersburg, Mr. Adams wrote a series of letters to a son at school in Massachussetts, on the bible and its teachings, which after his death were published in a volume. Through his life, he was a careful and devout student of the bible. precepts of wisdom and morality were always the guide of his life. He took great pleasure in studying the scriptures in the different languages he had learned; and held them in profound respect.

While Mr. Adams was at his court, the emperor proposed to mediate between England and the United States, to secure a cessation of hostilities. England refused the emperor's offer, but proposed to meet American commissioners at London or Gottenburg. Mr. Adams, and Messrs. Bayard, Clay, Russell and Gallatin were appointed. In conducting the negotiations which followed, the American commissioners, with Mr. Adams at their

head, displayed a knowledge of national rights and laws, a justice, firmness and magnanimity, which was profoundly respected by the nations of Europe; and which led the Marquis of Wellesley to say in the House of Lords that, "in his opinion, the American commissioners had shown the most astonishing superiority over the British, during the whole of the correspondence."

After six months of negotiations, the treaty of peace was signed at Ghent on the twenty-fourth of December, 1814.

The commissioners proceeded to London, where on the third of July, 1815, they signed a treaty of commerce with England. Thus was effected permanent relations of good will between these two great nations.

MINISTER AT THE COURT OF ST. JAMES.

Before going to London as a commissioner, Mr. Adams had been appointed resident minister at the court of St. James. He remained here till 1817, attending faithfully to the duties of his high position; and reflecting great honor to his country, by his learning, wisdom and exalted character.

SECRETARY OF STATE.

On the fourth of March, 1817, James Monroe was inaugurated president of the United States. He came into office when party spirit had for a long time run high. It was somewhat abated by the war, but was still in the way of a proper demonstration of the principles on which the republic was founded. It was his great purpose to conciliate the parties and bring domestic peace to his country. He looked about for the most able and acceptable men for his cabinet officers, who were most pronounced for their non-partisan patriotism and their broad wisdom. He fixed on John Quincy Adams for his secretary of state-the man of all others who could give the most commanding dignity to his administration, in the foreign world's estima

tion.

As soon as Mr. Adams received his appointment, he closed his affairs in England and took passage for New York, where he landed August, 1817. A great public dinner was given him in

Tammany hall, at which Governor Clinton, the mayor of the city, and some two hundred of the best-distinguished citizens gave expression to their profound regard for the great diplomat. He went immediately to Boston where a like reception awaited him, at which his aged father was a guest.

The next month Mr. Adams removed to Washington and entered upon the duties of his office.

During the eight years of Monroe's administration, Mr. Adams remained faithful to the duties of the secretary of state. He had entire charge of the foreign department of the government, and did much to establish, on just principles, the good relations our government has since maintained with countries abroad. He carried out the principles he had, in his early manhood, formulated in his papers in the "Columbian Centinel," and which so pleased Washington that he adopted them in his farewell address to the people of the United States.

It was during Mr. Adams' term of office as secretary of state, that the Greek revolution broke out, in 1821. Greece had for a long time been subject to the Ottoman power, which was a cruel oppression. She resisted it and took up arms for independence. The American people sympathized deeply with the Greeks. Meetings were held all over the country to express that sympathy. Resolutions were passed. The press was ablaze with Greek sympathy. Money, clothing, provisions, arms, were collected and sent to Greece. Men volunteered to go into her service. The Greek cause was immensely popular. The struggling Greeks appealed to the United States for assistance; but Mr. Adams remained true to his principles, and in his correspondence with the Greek minister, said: "But while cheering with their best wishes the cause of the Greeks, the United States are forbidden, by the duties of their situation, from taking part in the war, to which their relation is that of neutrality. At peace themselves with all the world, their established policy and the obligations of the laws of nations, preclude them from becoming voluntary auxiliaries to a cause which would involve them in war."

During his term of office the Seminole war came on and the

difficulty with General Jackson in trespassing upon the Spanish territory and in hanging as spies two British subjects, which came near entangling us in a foreign war. Mr. Adams supported Jackson and made such convincing arguments in favor of his position as to soothe the British cabinet. He made arrangements with Spain to purchase the Floridas, and so get possession of all the territory on the Gulf east of the Mississippi. This was a great gratification to Mr. Adams, as it was an object he had labored for with great anxiety. While Spain owned the Floridag

we were in danger of trouble. During nearly all of Mr. Adam's term of office under Monroe, he was the subject of bitter political persecution. The old hatred of the federalists was not all dead. Some of those who hated his father hated him for his father's sake. He was a mighty man, and had come from abroad to hurt somebody's prospects for the presidency. Henry Clay had wanted to be secretary of state under Monroe, so he was made an enemy of Adams and the adminstration. His prospects for the presidency were hurt. Crawford, of Georgia, was ambitious and sorry to see Adams called home to be in his way. Clinton, of New York, was an aspirant for the presidency also, and he and his friends were annoyed by the diplomat's occupancy of the first place in Monroe's government. The press, in the interest of these and other aspirants for position, failed not to serve them in roundly abusing Mr. Adams. It called him "a royalist," "a friend of oligarchy," "a misanthrope; educated in contempt of his fellowmen," as "unfit to be the minister of a free and virtuous people." Mr. Monroe was warned of him as "full of duplicity," as "an incubus on his prospects for the next presidency, and his popularity." In reply to all this and much more Mr. Adams went quietly on doing his duty. When asked by his friends to defend himself against these abuses, he replied that a faithful discharge of his duty to his country was his best defense.

The introduction of Missouri into the Union was an event which occasioned one of the most thorough discussions which the question of slavery had ever had. It was really the beginning of the great struggle, which never ended till that institution