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Justice of the State , but be declined this office . Amid the force of excitement produced by the Boston mas * sacre , he dared to undertake the de ~ fence of the British troops . His success in this trial was complete . It evinced his talents and his strong
sense of justice and official duty . A less intrepid spirit would nothavedared to stem the current of popular indignation by engaging in such a cause . But it is not in his professional life , but his political , that we are to trace his glorious career . He soon sacrificed his profession and every thing to the liberties of his fellow-citizens and
the independence of his country . In 1770 , he was elected a representative from Boston , and in 1774 , a member of the Council , but was negatived by Governor Gage from the part he took
in politics . From 1770 , and previous , and until 1776 , he was constantly engaged , and took a leading part in all the measures which were adopted to defend the colonies from the unjust attacks of the British Parliament .
He was one of the earliest that contemplated the independence of the country , ^ ad her separation fro m the mother country . No man in the Congress of 177 6 did so much as he
did to procure the declaration of independence . By the committee who were appointed on the subject of a separation from the mother country , Mr . Jefferson and Mr , Adams were
appointed a sub-committee to frame a declaration of independence . The draught reported was that of Mr . Jefferson , and he has deservedly received great credit for it . But Mr . Jefferson never spoke in public , and John Adams was the bold and daring spirit of Congress of 17 / 6 , and the eloquent advocate of its boldest measures . From the declaration of independence until the peace , Mr . Adams was employed in the same glorious cause .
Whilst Washington , at the head of our armies , was fighting the battles ot liberty , and defending our country from the ravages of the enemy , Adams was em ployed in a service less brilliant , but scarcely less important . Ahrough the whole war he was
exerting his talents at the various courts of -Europe , to obtain loans and alliances , and every succour to sustain our armies , and the cause of liberty
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and our independence * Nor did bis labours cease until he had accomplished every object for-which he was sent abroad , nor until he had sealed our independence by a treaty of peace , which he skrned with . Great " Britain .
Immediately after the treaty of peace , he was appointed Ambassador to Great Britain ; on the adoption of the Constitution , he was elected first Vice-President of the United States .
During the whole period of the presidency of Washington , Mr . Adams was Vice-President . He was as uniformly consulted by Washington as though he had been a member of his cabinet , on all important questions . On the
death of Washington , Mr . Adams was elected his successor . During * the administration of Mr . Adams , party spirit raged without restraint . Too independent himself to
wear the trammels of either party , he was warmly supported by neither . Too open for concealment , and perfectly void of guile and intrigue , he practised no arts to secure himself in
power . At the expiration of the first term , Mr . Jefferson , the candidate of the Republican party , and his successful competitor , received four votes more than Mr . Adams . Mr . Adams then retired to private life at his seat
in Quincy . When the foreign aspect of our country became clouded , and
difficulties overshadowed it , he came forth the warmest advocate of the rights of the country , and of those measures of the administration calculated to sustain them . His letter in defence of our seamen against foreign
impressment , is one of the ablest and most irresistible arguments in the English language . So satisfied were those who had been politically opposed to him , of his merits and services , that he was selected by the Republicans of Massachusetts as their candidate for
Governor , on the death of Governor Sullivan 5 but he declined again entering into public life - He was one of the electors , and President of the
Electoral College , when Mr . Monroe was elected President of the United States . Having been the principal
draughtsman ot the constitution ot this state , wherf the Convention was called to amend ic in 1820 , he was unanimously elected their President . On his declining this honour , unani-
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Jefferwn and Adams * 639
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Nov. 2, 1826, page 639, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2554/page/3/
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