attachment the transient things of time, and to desire more earnestly the eternal happiness of another world. TO MY WIFE. When on thy bosom I recline, Which modern wits and fools despise, One mutual flame inspires our bliss; Have I a wish ?-'tis all for thee. That angels look with ardent gaze, If cares arise-and cares will come- And is there aught disturbs my fair? And lose it in my breast. Have I a wish ?-'tis all her own; 'Tis death to be disjoin'd. JOHN ADAMS, 1735-1826. JOHN ADAMS, the second President of the United States, was born in Braintree, Massachusetts, October 19th, 1735. After the usual preparatory studies, he entered Harvard College, and was distinguished in his class for diligence in his studies, and for originality and bold ness of thought-qualities which shone most conspicuously in his after life. He graduated in 1755, and commenced the study of law with James Putnam, at Worcester, and in 1758 commenced the practice at Quincy. In 1764, he married Abigail Smith, daughter of Rev. William Smith, of Weymouth, and a lady of an excellent education, and of uncommon natural endowments. In 1765, he removed to Boston, and not only did his legal practice soon become quite extensive, but it was seen, in the then stirring political times, that he was one to whom his fellow-citizens might confidently look as a champion of their rights against the encroachments and assumptions of the Crown, and one on whom they could at all times rely. In 1768, Governor Bernard offered him the place of Advocate General in the Court of Admiralty, a highly honorable and lucrative post; but he promptly declined it, determining that no prospects of personal advancement should tempt him to desert the cause of the Colonies, in the struggle which he saw must soon come. In 1769, he was chairman of the committee appointed by the town of Boston to draw up instructions to their representatives to resist the British encroachments. In March, 1770, occurred the fatal affray between the British troops and some citizens of Boston, in which a few of the latter were killed. As Capt. Preston and his soldiers acted in self-defence, Mr. Adams volunteered in their defence, regarding truth and justice, then as ever, more than popular clamor. Notwithstanding the strong excitement against them, all were acquitted but two, who were found guilty of manslaughter. The very same year, such confidence did his fellow-citizens repose in his integrity, he was chosen a member of the legislature from Boston. In June, 1774, Mr. Adams was elected by the Assembly, together with T. Cushing, S. Adams, and R. T. Payne, to the first Continental Congress. To his friend Sewall, who endeavored to dissuade him from accepting the appointment, he replied, in his characteristic energy of language: "The die is cast; I have passed the Rubicon; sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish, with my country is my unalterable determination." He took his seat in Congress, September 5, 1774, and was on the committee which drew up the statement of the rights of the Colonies, and on that which prepared the address to the king. He also attended the next Congress in 1775, and was among the foremost of those who were in favor of independence. He moved, May 6, 1776, to recommend to the Colonies "to adopt such a government as would, in the opinion of the representatives of the people, best conduce to the happiness and safety of their constituents and of America." This passed, after an earnest debate, on the 15th. On the 7th of June, Richard Henry Lee made the motion, which was seconded by Mr. Adams, "that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States." The debate continued to the 10th, and was then postponed to the 1st of July. A committee of five, consisting of Jefferson, Adams, Franklin, Sherman, and Livingston, was appointed to draw up a declaration of independence. At the request of Mr. Adams, the instrument was written by Jefferson, and was adopted, as is known, on the 4th, but not without some strong opposition. The opposing arguments were met by Mr. Adams, in a speech of unrivalled power. Of him Mr. Jefferson said: "The great pillar of support to the declaration of independence, and its ablest advocate and champion on the floor of the House, was John Adams; he was the colossus of that Congress; not graceful, not eloquent, not always fluent in his public addresses, he yet came out with a power, both of thought and expression, which moved his hearers from their seats." In November, 1777, Silas Deane, who had been sent commissioner, with Franklin and A. Lee, to the French court, having been recalled, Mr. Adams was appointed in his place; but the treaty of commerce and alliance having been signed before his arrival, he soon returned. In 1779, he was appointed minister plenipotentiary to negotiate a peace with Great Britain, and had authority to form a commercial treaty with that nation. He was associated with Franklin, Jay, and Laurens, and the mission was successful in forming a definite treaty of peace, which was ratified January 14, 1784. He returned to Boston in 1788, after an absence of nine years. Congress had before passed a resolution of thanks for his able and faithful discharge of various important commissions. He was elected the first Vice-President of the United States in 1789, and was re-elected the second term; consequently, he was President of the Senate during the whole of the administration of Washington, whose confidence he enjoyed in the highest degree. Having been elected President to succeed Washington, he entered upon his duties March 4, 1797.' In 1801, he was succeeded by Mr. Jefferson, who was elected by a majority of one vote. 1 The following admirable letter was addressed by Mrs. Adams to her husband, on his being elected President of the United States: QUINCY, February 8th, 1797. "The sun is dressed in brightest beams, To give thy honors to the day." And may it prove an auspicious prelude to each ensuing season! You have this day to declare yourself head of a nation. "And now, O Lord, my God, thou hast made thy servant ruler over the people. Give unto him an understanding heart, that he may know how to go out and come in before this great people; that he may discern between good and bad; for who is able to judge After March, 1801, Mr. Adams lived in retirement at Quincy, occupied in agricultural pursuits, though occasionally addressing various communications to the public. In 1820, at the age of 85, he was president of the convention for revising the constitution of Massachusetts. In 1825, he enjoyed the singular happiness of seeing his son, John Quincy Adams, elevated to the office of President of the United States. Mr. Adams had given evidence that he was drawing near his end in June, 1826. On the morning of the 4th of July, he was roused by the ringing of bells and the firing of cannon; and when asked if he knew what day it was, he replied, "Oh, yes! it is the glorious Fourth-God bless it! God bless you all!" In the forenoon, the orator of the day, his parish minister, called to see him, and found him seated in an arm-chair, and asked him for a sentiment to be given at the public table. He replied, "I will give you-'Independence forever!'" In the course of the day, he said, "It is a great and glorious day;" and just before he expired, exclaimed, "Jefferson survives," showing that his thoughts were dwelling on the scene of 1776. But Jefferson was then dead, having expired at one o'clock. Mr. Adams died at twenty minutes past six P. M. It is useless to expatiate upon the character of John Adams, for it is inseparably interwoven with the most momentous period of our country's history. With the exception of Washington, no one stood higher, no one did more to shape the institutions of our country, no one exerted a mightier or more extended influence for good; and his name will ever be venerated by all succeeding generations.' The other night the choice of Hercules came into my mind, and left impressions there which I hope will never be effaced, this thy so great a people?"-were the words of a royal sovereign; and not less applicable to him who is invested with the chief magistracy of a nation, though he wear not a crown, nor the robes of royalty. My thoughts and my meditations are with you, though personally absent; and my petitions to Heaven are that "the things which make for peace may not be hidden from your eyes." My feelings are not those of pride or osten. tation, upon the occasion. They are solemnized by a sense of the obligations, the important trusts, and numerous duties connected with it That you may be enabled to discharge them with honor to yourself, with justice and impartiality to your country, and with satisfaction to this great people, shall be the daily prayer of your A. A. Read The Works of John Adams: with a Life of the Author; Notes and Illustrations by his grandson, Charles Francis Adams," 10 volumes. * From his Diary, dated Braintree, January 3d, 1759. nor long unheeded. I thought of writing a fable on the same plan, but accommodated, by omitting some circumstances and inserting others, to my own ease. Let Virtue address me: "Which, dear youth, will you prefer, a life of effeminacy, indolence, and obscurity, or a life of industry, temperance, and honor? Take my advice; rise and mount your horse by the morning's dawn, and shake away, amidst the great and beautiful scenes of nature that appear at that time of the day, all the crudities that are left in your stomach, and all the obstructions that are left in your brains. Then return to your studies, and bend your whole soul to the institutes of the law and the reports of cases that have been adjudged by the rules in the institutes; let no trifling diversion, or amusement, or company, decoy you from your book; that is, let no girl, no gun, no cards, no flutes, no violins, no dress, no tobacco, no laziness, decoy you from your books. (By the way, laziness, languor, inattention, are my bane. I am too lazy to rise early and make a fire; and when my fire is made, at ten o'clock, my passion for knowledge, fame, fortune, for any good, is too languid to make me apply with spirit to my books, and by reason of my inattention my mind is liable to be called off from law by a girl, a pipe, a poem, a love-letter, a spectator, a play, &c. &c.) But keep your law book or some point of law in your mind at least six hours in a day. (I grow too minute and lengthy.) Labor to get distinct ideas of law, right, wrong, justice, equity; search for them in your own mind, in Roman, Grecian, French, English treatises of natural, civil, common, statute law; aim at an exact knowledge of the nature, end, and means of government; compare the different forms of it with each other, and each of them with their effects on public and private happiness. Study Seneca, Cicero, and all other good moral writers; study Montesquieu, Bolingbroke, Vinnius, &c., and all other good civil writers." Here are two nights and one day and a half spent in a softening, enervating, dissipating series of hustling, prattling, poetry, love, courtship, marriage; during all this time I was seduced into the course of unmanly pleasures that Vice describes to Hercules, forgetful of the glorious promises of fame, immortality, and a good conscience, which Virtue makes to the same hero as rewards of a hardy, toilsome, watchful life in the service of mankind. I could reflect with more satisfaction on an equal space of time spent in a painful research of the principles of law, or a resolute attempt of the powers of eloquence. But where is my attention? Is it fixed from sunrise to midnight on |