John Quincy Adams
Da Capo Press
9/4/2012
Audiobook
304 pages
He fought for Washington, served with Lincoln, witnessed Bunker Hill, and sounded the clarion against slavery on the eve of the Civil War. He negotiated an end to the War of 1812, engineered the annexation of Florida, and won the Supreme Court decision that freed the African captives of The Amistad. He served his nation as minister to six countries, secretary of state, senator, congressman, and president.
Half way through this book I felt like I had read it before. I’m big into US Presidential biographies, so it’s possible I was confusing it with another John Quincy book. I kept reading though because the subject matter was just too interesting. A man who was a political partner of both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Was friends with Kings, Tszars, and diplomats throughout Europe. A man who spent over 50 years serving the US government in 8 different high level positions and kept a detailed diary for even longer.
No one person was exposed to so many leaders among the American founding fathers from an extremely early age. His own father among them. Meeting Ben Franklin at age 12 and Thomas Jefferson soon thereafter. Appointed the US Minister to the Netherlands at age 24 by George Washington, he served in four different Europe countries as US Minister or Envoy between 1794 and 1817. In between he was a US Senator for five years and then served as Secretary of State for 8 years under President Monroe. He dined with John Hancock, locked horns and partnered up with Henry Clay, and was a professor of Rhetoric and Oratory at Harvard.
This would be a lifetime of service for many, but after this he became the 6th US President, a position he seemed to have been, and in many ways was, groomed for by his parents John and Abigail Adams. Having a somewhat unapproachable intellect and failing to promote his ideas to the American public he collided with a headstrong Andrew Jackson who harassed his supporters and belittled his programs to make his single term largely uneventful.
Unlike many presidential biographies that end shortly after the presidential term is over. John Quincy’s story was not done. After 2 years in retirement, he won election to the US House of Representatives from Massachusetts. In this position he may have found his most effective role. He was a fiery opponent of slavery throughout his career in the House and fought and succeeded to remove the “gag rule” that had ended debate of the slavery issue in Congress. A powerful speaker who was matched by few, he collapsed from a stroke on the house floor and died two days later inside the Speaker of the House’s office.
This book drew heavily from John Quincy’s own diary and from the many letters sent among his family members. It provides a deep look into his thoughts and feelings throughout his life. Especially touching were the bits of poetry he wrote as he lost so many children and loved ones at early ages. Overall a great book and great man. 100% recommend.