Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-07-02
From he Pi!tsburg Gaseite.
From IKE PiasbErg GGsette.
Sketches OF the Public Men OF the United
States.
BT EzAsTUs BROOKS.
No. L
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.
sT EzAsTUs BROOKS.
No. ].

IL would DO more ouucui 10 tell "hen John
Quincy Adams was not in public life, and more
difficult TO state the honors he has not enjoyed
from his counlrymen, than those which he has.
No child was ever blessed with nobler father,
or purer mother, than John Quincy Adams.
The father was one Of the foremost and bravest
spirits of the revolution, and the mother had all
the heroism and intelligence OF the worlhlest
women Of her age and Time. She was The daugh- .
ter Of the Rev. William Smith, Of Weymouth. /
and one Of two sisters, both Of whom were re-
markaJle aud exemplary women. the one marry
ing Hon. Richard Cranch, Of Quincy, father Of
the present Chief Justice Cranch Of Washington,
and the other the Rev. Mr.. Shaw, one oflhe old
and honorable Congregational Ministers Of New
England. OF the father | need not speak,
aud Of the mother | will only add, that those
who will read her published letters to husband
son, and niece, will pronounce the author olthcI
truths and wisdom therein embodied, worthy of
the highest euogium language can bcsIow. Nor.
/ shall | atempt-lor time and space would fail
Imc-to cnumerale more Than the most public
events in the career Of ExPresdcnt Adams.
Mr.. A. is fast verging on four score years,
having been born on the llth Of July. l767.-0
Nearly sky years Of this time. in one way or
another, he has been in public life. aud has filled
the highest otIccs-and almost all grades of of.
) ficc-knuwn either 10 our National or State
Governments. Ilo was Graded almost in the
/ Revolution, and lived through it, but sometimes
! parlicpalor--and that not in a humble way
in some orirs most important events. Fen years
after he was born, and in the midst of the R,vO.
luton, he accompanied his father to Europe
# was John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Ar
thur Lee; as is known, who composed the Com.
mission at Versailles. John q. Adams was ab.
sent about eighteen months, and during this time
) improved himself in the study Of French and
! Latin, and other branches orlc0rning. Old John
Adams landed in Boston in August 70, in the
very density of the darkness Of the Revolution.
He was not permitted 10 remain longer than three
months at home, the scene for the greatest ser.
vice being then upon the European side Of the
Atlantic as n negoalor with powers friendly toI
! the United States, and with those like France,
who were hostile to England. Again the son
accompanied the father to Europe and at Time,
too when the ocean was almost dotted with Eng.
lish ships in search Of every thing American, orI
, friendly TO the Independent colonies which could
, be found. 1t was during the voyage that old
. John Adams was placed in charge of the Com.
4 modorc Tucker, one Of the lhundcrooltS OF old
i ocean, and every bit rs brave Us Paul Jones, or
= any Of the tabled heroes of the sea. The luIG
Il vessel of the Commodore had many II hair
+ breadth escape from capture, but the master was
II determined never to yield without struggle, no
i matter what force might attack him. AT one
y, time real danger was at hand, and the life OF
: Adams was deemed as precious as the great mis-
! sion he had in charge. Tucker insisted, there
y, rore that Adams should, us the Ambassador o
- the country, keep out ofharn's way. The min
!, lister ried but in vain, to obey ORDERS for nc
: sooner was there real danger at hand, than he
= was foremost in the fight, and so impatient of re-
" straint, as to mnele with the humble sailors, ii
- defence Of the ship. Adams, however, arrived
y safely out, and Holland for time became the
" scene of his Inbors. lie was bcggar at the
y lootsloo of thrones and principales, for means
to carry on the war oGhis country with England
:, and among kings, noblomen and arislocrait
y bankers, for il was not eusy then to obtain tn,
= "sinews orwar," at home or abroad. Ours wa
young nation in the New World, and the mos
: powerful nation in the Old denounced us as trai
i i tors and rebels. But against all odds, our faith
cr5 faithfully struggled, patiently endured, and il
The end gloriously lrumphed. 1t was in such
u u school as this that John Quincy Adams wa
tt taught, and with mother to guide him who low
gous and civil liberty, higher than which ne
: nation or body Of men ever aimed obtain. IL
" was surrounded too, often by the great and gooC
= men of the Revolution. These, the companion
> Of hii father, were his great moral cXcnparS.-
!, lie was favored beyond this with the companion
u ship Of some of the most distinguished men q
Ithe Old World. John Adams, even al This time
l. when his son was not 10 years OF age, in one G
= / l. q l. ,b, mic, ~,
e respect of a true father in these words: "Th
- strict and invioato regard you have ever paid t
v truth, gives me pleasing hope that you will ne
II swervo from her dictates, butudd uSucn, lOrltudC
'e and every manly virtue, which can adorn goo
70 citizen, do honor TO your country, and rendc
l. your parents suprcmely happy, and ParncuarI
l. your aileclonute mother"
IL Young Adams soon visited many parts of Eu
= rope. lie was put to school alternately AZ Parl,
III Amsterdam, aud L,ylen, and uilerward accom-
Il panied Francis Dana, in 1881, TO 81. PetersbuTgt
80 where he acted as the private secretary of gu
e. Minister. lie returned home, after visiting Nol
j. lhern Europe, Germany in part, Holland, Franc
y and England. Ii was his good fortune to
De with his father at the signing Of the Treaty
Peace in Paris. 1893. Al London he was iavo
OF cd, as few can hardly ever again be favored as
ID listener 10 The eloquence Of Burke, SherIdcl
Fox, Piu, galaxy of names that no one EN-
re Hsh Parliament before or since, has ever exhbl
r. ed. All these men al this Time were in the zel
r. ih of their power Pil stood at the head of'l
nc British Ministry, with his three great rivals a
n, rayed ugains. him. This was before your
to Adams was 90 years of age. Indeed soon aft
10 he was l8, he entered Harvard College far a
r, yanced in his studies, and in 1897 graduated at
in turned his attention at once and with great ass
ne duity 10 the law, profession on which at OF
ar lime he thought he should have to depend for Il
o. means of support. He studied vigorously und
he Tbeophius Parsons-once distinguished Chi
-. .I =. M,,,oh,,sa,,e [Ie became nj nh