ADAMS, JOHN QUINCY, the sixth president of the U. S. of North America, and son of the second president, was born in Mass., July 11,1767. In his boyhood lie accompanied his father on an embassy to Europe, and passed a considerable part of his youth in Paris, at the Hague, and lastly in London. When his father was elected president, the younger Adams was sent on an embassy to Berlin, and traveled through Silesia. Of this country he gave a description in his letters, which were first published in the Poryblio, it Philadel phia journal, and afterwards translated into French and German. In his political view's, A. perfectly agreed with his father, and consequently he was recalled from Berlin when Jefferson was elected president in 1801. On his return to America, lie was engaged as professor of rhetoric, at Harvard university, in Mass., the stronghold of the federalists; but lie soon left his academical post to engage again in politics, and was chosen a senator for Mass. lie soon became prominent as a leader of the federal party; but in later years he adroitly changed his course, and seemed inclined towards the party of Madison. By Madison lie was sent as plenipotentiary to Russia, and afterwards to England. On this embassy he took a part in the negotiation of peace with England, and assisted with his counsel the deputies sent from America to Ghent. When Monroe was elected president,
he recalled A. from Europe, and made him secretary of state._ On the retirement of Monroe from office, A. gained the presidency, after a 'hard contest against Jackson, in Feb. 1825. Ile had now to strive against democratic majorities; for, though be endeav ored to make himself popular by betraying the schemes of his former political associates, he could never win the confidence of the growing party of democrats; and on the expira tion of his term of office, he had to give place to gen. Jackson. A. retired to his estate of Quincy, near Boston; but in 1830 was chosen as representative of his district. He now joined the party of abolitionists, and frequently raised the whole house of representatives against himself by his incessant petitions on the slavery question. On one occasion, in 1842, in order to assert strongly in the abstract the right to petition, he went so far as to present a petition for the dissolution of the union! This was misunderstood, and turned against him. He died at Washington during the session of congress. Feb. 23, 1848. A. was one of the most able among American statesmen of the old school, and a skilled diplo matist. See Memoirs of A., vols. i. and ii., 1874.