6) John Quincy Adams - The Abolitionist

John and Abigail Adams expected much of their oldest son, John Quincy and while the pressure JQA felt at a young age is similar to what the elder John experienced, John and Abigail could offer their son opportunities and resources unavailable to John and they made sure he knew it:

“You come into life with advantages which will disgrace you if your life is mediocre… if you do not rise to the head of not only your profession, but your country it will be owing to your own laziness, slovenliness, and obstinacy,” wrote the elder John to his son.

In Paul Nagel’s John Quincy Adams: A Public Life, A Private Life I met the most surprising man I’ve encountered on my introduction to the Presidents. JQA is a man remembered mostly for sharing a name with John Adams; I’ve found that many don’t even realize he’s John’s son. While his presidency is not worth remembering, it could fairly be considered America’s first “failed presidency”, his contributions to his country were vast, his work ethic was astonishing, and his life was simply amazing.

On January 12, 1779 he wrote “A Journal By Me JQA.” John would continue that diary for nearly 70 years. JQA’s diary explored personal struggles, political triumphs and frustrations, extensive travels, and daily minutia. It is an enlightening and important piece of American history not only because of its “real-time” views of the 19^th century, but because it documents a man who spent much of his youth overseas, served as an ambassador to the Netherlands, Prussia, Russia, and England, Secretary of State, President, and Congressman (in that order!).

Part of what makes JQA so endearing is his diary, it gives us an unusually personal look into his character and thus makes him much more relatable than other historical giants. JQA appears to have struggled, at times mightily, with depression. An early trigger was his mother, Abigail, who again comes off as overbearing (as she did in John Ferling’s book on John Adams). As we learned from Ferling’s book, Abigail had many difficult years raising her children as her husband served in various posts overseas. However, her parenting style appears to have been a sort of 18^th century-helicopter/tiger-mom-hybrid. One such example occurred when she strongly encouraged JQA to break off a relationship, feeling that her son had yet to reach a point where he could sufficiently support a family. In 1818, while JQA was serving as James Monroe’s Secretary of State, Abigail passed away. JQA did not return to Massachusetts to attend the funeral.

The first Presidential photograph
to appear on this blog, and perhaps the
earliest existing photograph of a US
President (1843).

While serving as Minster to England, JQA met Louisa Johnson, the daughter of an American father and British mother. Abigail again tried to end this relationship, but the ocean between mother and son gave JQA the strength to resist his mother’s influences. JQA and Louisa wed in 1797 and would live to celebrate their golden anniversary. Louisa comes across as a strong-willed and intelligent first lady who managed an emotionally unstable husband, the resentment of her mother-in-law, personal tragedies including several miscarriages and her son’s suicide, extensive world travel, and the bitter political battles that JQA engaged in over his career. Nagel says that Louisa’s letters give evidence to a strong strength of intellect, which he believes may have surpassed her husband’s had she received more education.

John had a lifelong passion for literature and composed a great deal of poetry, wrote a widely-distributed travel report on the European region of Silesia, and spent nearly a year translating Christoph Martin Wieland’s Oberon poem to English from German. Adam’s translation of Oberon wasn’t published until 1940, but the editor, A.B. Faust said that it was “remarkable for its fidelity to the original and its genuine artistry.” JQA often expressed a desire to retire from politics and focus on writing, however he could never pull himself away – after being defeated by Andrew Jackson for a second presidential term, something he seemed genuinely relieved about, he went on to represent Massachusetts in Congress for another 17 years until, literally, collapsing on the floor of the US House of Representatives at age 80.

You’ll note that I’ve said little about JQA’s time as President and that’s because his many accomplishments worth remembering did not happen while he was in the White House. As Secretary of State, JQA was deeply involved in developing the philosophy that was to become the Monroe Doctrine, ever the diplomat JQA felt the Doctrine should be communicated through back channels. However, Monroe’s desire to incorporate it into the State of the Union won out.

When John’s accomplishments are remembered today, it is often his opposition to slavery. While his motivations are sometimes questioned, as many of the Southern politicians who backed slavery where John’s enemies, it can not be debated that John spent the majority of his 17 years in the House of Representatives fighting against the spread of slavery to new states and the “Gag Rule” which prevented discussion of slavery in Congress. Additionally, JQA argued in front of the Supreme Court in defense of the enslaved Africans who had captured the slave ship Amistad and ultimately won their freedom.

JQA’s life was fascinating and I would encourage any one with an interest in history or great people to explore his life. He was groomed for greatness and achieved it. He was a tortured soul whose life spanned much of the time between the Revolution and the Civil War.  At times he rose above politics in a way that we often wish politicians would today, yet at times he succumbed to partisan rancor in a way we would find all too familiar today. Despite his shortcomings, I can say without hesitation, that he is my favorite President to this point.