ADAMS, SAIMEL (ante), a great-grandson of Henry A., an English emigrant, from whom president John A. traced his descent. Samuel began to study law, disliked it, and went into a counting-house; became a merchant and failed ; was partner with his father in a brewery, and failed after the father's death; went into politics on a paper money question then prominent in the colony, and soon became an advocate for the people against parliamentary authority. Through him, under instructions of the town of Boston, was heard, in May, 1764, the first protest from America against lord Gren ville's plan for taxing the colonies. While in the colonial legislature he acted as clerk of that body, and drew up most of the papers. He is thus described in John Adams's diary: "Adams is zealous, ardent, and keen hi the cause; is always for softness, deli cacy, and prudence, when they will do; but is stanch and stiff and strict and rigid and inflexible in the cause." While lie was engaged in politics his wife supported the family. She died in 1757, and In 1764 lie married again. He was spokesman of a com mittee to demand the removal of the troops after the Boston massacre, and by his bold ness effected the purpose. In the Philadelphia congress he was at first conciliatory; yet no one did more to effect the separation from England, as gen. Gage testified when lie
excepted only "John Hancock and Sam Adams" from an offer of pardon. Adams did not like the federal constitution, but Hancock persuaded him to support it in the Massa chusetts convention, though lie proposed several amendments, some of which were adopted. lie was an admirer of the French revolution, and in home polities inclined towards Jeffersonian views. He is deseribed as or usual size, muscular, with light-blue eves, fair complexion, erect and dignified; wearing a tic wig, cocked hat, and red cloak. Ile was poor till near the end of his life, when by the death of his son, a surgeon in the revolution, he received enough to live upon. Ile was the author of many state papers and political newspaper articles; but an oration said to have been spokenzby him in Phila delphia, Aug. 1, 1770, and printed in London, is reckoned spurious. In this oration the English are called " a nation of shopkeepers," an epithet which was quickly adopted by the first Napoleon. Adams left only a-daughter, and none of his blood now bear the name.