The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-05-04
THE EARLY LIFE OF JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.

From the Memoir of John Quincy Adams recentl
published by Phillips, Sampson Col
John Quincy Adams son of ohm and Abb
gail Adams, was born on the 1lrh of July
1867. in the North Parish of Braintree, Mas
sachusetts-since Incorporated as the Town @
Quincy. The lives and characters of his pa
rents. intimately associated with the histor
of the A merican Revolution, have been alrea
dy ably and faithfully illustrated
The origin of his name was thus stated b,
himself: my great grandfather, John Quincy
was dying when | was baptized and his dangh
ter. my grandmother,requested Ilmight receive
bis name. This fact recorded by my faihe
at the time, is not without a moral to my
heart, and has connected with that portion o
my name acharm of mingled senaibility and dc
votion. J It was filial tenderness that gave the
name-it was the name of one passing from
earth to immortality These have been, thro
life, perpetual admonitions to do nothing un
worthy Of it. aHs7say
AT Braintree his mother watched over bis
childhood. At The village school he Learnt
the 'rudiments of the English language Ir
after life he often playfulls boasted that the
dame who taught him TO spell hattered him
into learning bis letters by telling him he
would prove scholar The notes and habits
of the wild animals of the vicinity early ex
cited his attention. and led him to look Oh
nature with a lovers eye. creating an attach
ment tothe home of his childhood, which time
strengthened. Many years afterwards when
residing in Europe, he wrote: 'Penns Hill
and Braintree North Common Rocks never
looked and never felt to me like any other hill
or any other rocks; because every rock and
every pebble upon them associates itself with
tho first consciousness of nv existence. II
there is Bostonisn wto ever sailed from his
own harbor for distant lands, or returned to it
from them, without feelings, at the sight of the
Blne hills, which he is unable to express, his
heart is differently constituted from mine
These local attachments were indissolubly
associated with the events of the American
Revolution, and with the patriotic principles
instiled by his mother. Standing with her
on the summit of Penu's Hill, he heard the
cannon booming from the battle; of Bunker's
Hill and saw the smoke and flames of burn
ing Gharlestown. During the siege of Boston
he often climed the same eminence alone, to
watch the shells and rockets thrown by the
American army
With mind prematurely developed and
cultivated by The influence of the characters
of bis parents and the stirring events of that
period. he embarked at the age of eleven years
in February, I778, from the shore OF his native
town, with his father, in small boat. which
conveyed them to ship in Nantascet Roads
bound for Europe. John Adams had beer
associated in commission with Benjamin
Franklin and Arthnr Lee, as plenipotentiary
to the Court of France. After residing if
Paris until June. 1779, he returned to Ameri
"a accompanied by his son. Being immedi
ately appointed by Congress minister plenipoi
tentiary to negotiate treaty of peace and
commerce with Great Britain, they both re
turned together to France in November
taking passage in French frigate. On this
his second voyage to Europe, young Adams
began diary. which, with few intermissione
he continued through life. While in Paris be
resumed the study af the ancient and modern
languages, which had been interrupted by his
return to America -*a
In July, 1880. John Adams having been
appointed ambassador to the Netherlands, his
500 was removed from the schools of Paris to
those of Amsterdam, and subsequently to the
University of Leyden. Thsre he pursued his
studies until July, 1871, when, in his fourteenth
year, he was selected by Francis Dana, minis
ter plenipotentiary to the Russian Court as
his private secretary, and accompanied MIN
through Germany to St. Petersburgh. Hav.
ing satisfactorily discharged bis official doties,
and pursued his Latin, German and French
studies, with general course of English his
tory, until September, 1882, he left st. Pc
tersburgh for Stockholm, where he passed the
winter. In the ensuing spring, after travelling
through the interior of Sweden, and visiting
Copenhagen and Hamburgh, he Joined his
father at the Hague and accompanied him to
Paris. They Travelled leisurely, forming an
acquaintance with eminent men on their route
and examining architectural remains, the
paintings of the gteat Flemish masters, and all
the treasures of the fine arts. in countries thro
which they passed. In Paris, young Adams
was present at the signing of the treaty oil
peace in 1763 and was admitted into the so
ciety of Franklin. Jefferson, Jay, Barclay,
Hartley, the Abbe Mably, and many other
eminent statesmen and literary men. After
passing few months in England, with his
father, he returned to Paris, and resumed his
studies, which he continusd until May, 1885
when be embarked for the United States. -
This return to his own country caused men
tai struggle, in which his Judgment controlled
his inclination. His father had Just been ap
pointed minister at the Court of Great Britain
and. as one of his family, it would have been
to him high qualification to reside in Eng
land. His feelings and views on this occasion
he thus expressed:
Ihave been seven years travelling in Europe
seeing the world, and in its society. If re-
turn to the United States, I must be subject
one or two years, to the rules of a college, pass
three more in the tedious study of the law. be
fore / can hope to bring myselfinto professiona
notice. The prospect is disconraging. If
accompany my father to London, nv sa,isfac
tion would possibly be greater than by return
ing to the United States; but 1 shall loitel
away my time, and not go home until an