John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams is one of a number of Americans who served as president and whose presidency was not his greatest achievement. Adams has been called by a number of historians America's greatest diplomat; he served in a number of important diplomatic posts and negotiated several treaties. In addition, his probable authorship of the Monroe Doctrine is generally seen as a credit. Following his presidency, John Quincy Adams was elected to the House of Representatives, where he served for 18 years, becoming a strong opponent of slavery and an outspoken critic of those who refused to debate the issue of slavery in the Congress. His argument before the United States Supreme Court in the famous Amistad case is held up as a brilliant exposition of the meaning of freedom in America.
Adams hoped to make his presidency a tribute to the idea of nationalism, but the boldness of his program exceeded his political ability to bring it about. He often appeared insensitive to public feelings, and he failed to use his power to build support for his programs. He refused patronage on honorable grounds and left civil servants in office unless they could be removed for cause. He favored the American System of Henry Clay (described above) and went far beyond what others had proposed, calling for federal initiatives in astronomy, education, the arts, agriculture, sciences, and so on. His nationalist approach aroused much states' rights opposition. Followers of Adams and Clay became National Republicans and later Whigs during the Jackson years. Jackson's men became Democratic Republicans and called themselves Democrats.
World History
