St. Landry democrat., 1891-01-03
BY W. II. CLINE.
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.

John Quincy Adams was born July H.
1857 His father, John Adams, was one
If the principal men of his time anu
voune Adams had exceptional advantages
He was educated at Harvard UniVerslVy
and studied law after his graduation his
esrlv training and surroundings NATURALLY
inclined him to politics. He accompanied
his father to England when he became tlie
erst minister of the United States to the
,o,rt ~ at. James. While there young |
Adams acted as secretary to his father' ano
bacsme familiar with diplomacy. he was
afterwards appointed minister to Russia
and slso served as minister to England.
Mr.. Monroe appointed him secretary OF
State. and as such he was instrumental IN
the purchase of Florida from Spain. he
also interested himself in the suppression
of the slave trade, which was carried on
mn to this time almost openly. ne
broupbt about tresty between the united
States and Great Britain, in which the two
Governments agreed to unite in suppress
ing the slave trade.
At the close of Mr.. Monroe's admins
tration Mr.. Adams became o candidate ,or
nres;deut of the United States. up 10 tns
time the secretary of State OF one aon,in-
t,ation had almost invariably succeeded 10
the presidency of the next. 1ene S
Who was Washington's secretary Oh o'a'e'
did not succeed him, but became vice
president and afterwards presloent pu'
Madison and Monroe passed from Inc
premiership of the cabinet to the press.
deney. MI. Adams being Mr.. monroe
premier, naturally became q csnoloa'o Ao1
the presidency. h.d s1rrost
.aoaad To exist. and there were no party
Nominations. Mr.. Adams was proposed
Nv his friends in the East, Gen. jackson
Nv his friends In Tennessee and nelghpor-.
inp States, Mr.. Crawford by the State OF
Georsia. and MIR. Clay by Kentucky.
The result of the election was that MI
Adams received 81 electoral votes, den'
Jsckson 96. MI. Crawford AZ. and MI
CLAW re-. No one having received ma
ioritv of the electoral votes, the electloI
vent to the house of representatives. ana
recording to the constitution, the confess
was between the three having the hlgnes
number of votes. This excluded Mr.. Clay
from the contest, and his friends, com.
Inning with Mr.. Adams friends, succeeded
in electing Mr.. Adams president.
He took the Office March 4, 1870, ane
Immediately nominated Mr.. Clay secretar!
~ State. This gave rise to the story tina
Adams and Clay had made bargain
whereby Adams should become preslden
and Clay secretary of State: Ihere wa
no nroof of this, and the high character o
both gentlemen precludes the posslDll1:
of believing the truthfulness OF the ssoly
since the excitement occssloneo III Va
heat of political strife has died out. bu
Notwithstanding there was no PROOF on IN
charge, it was iterated and reltefateu ifon
one end of the nation to the other ana Va
s1nression. adams and Clay's bargsi
and sale" was banded about until, In IN
inns oination of the people, even the mill
ground out the expression US they slo"l
gyonnd ont the corn. This suspicion wa
Undoubtedly one of the principal causes 9
Mr.. Adams subsequent defeat Tor I'd
presidency, and kept Mr.. Clay from I'd
goal of his ambition.
MIR. Adams gave the country gooe
honest administration. During his lnco1
bency the first railroad was built, and tn
great anti Masonic agitation commence
With the disappear .nce of VIM. Morgan,
In the general election, Nov, 1898. M
Adams was badly defeated for the pres
dency by General Jackson. He was ate
wards elected to Congress, and served
representative. from his district unni n
death.
His ability was of the first order, and
YVES called ''the old man eloquent.
While in the discharge of his duties
was stricken down with paralysis. an
carried from the hall of the house OF rel
resentatives to his home, where. he die
Feb. 81, 1S48.
Mr.. Adams was pure man, c"nscie
tious statesman. He was fearless in adv
eating his views. and made many polite
enemies thereby. But even his most d
termined political opponents respected III
rs q man; and he died enjoying the respe
of all his associates.