lution, which probably involves the best interests of every future generation of our countrymen; and which, under providence, seems designed to have an important influence on the destiny of Foreign nations. In all measures relating to this momentous transaction, he had a primary agency. While the history of the United States is preserved, the scenes of our revolution will fill some of its most prominent pages; and as long as our language shall be perpetuated, the name of our patriot will be holden in honorable remembrance.

John Adams was born in Braintree, now Quincy, on the 19th of October, 1735. In July, 1755, he graduated at Harvard University. He, on leaving College, undertook the instruction of the Town School in Worcester. His Father was a respectable, but not weal thy farmer, and having given his son a Collegiate education, he le " him subsequently to support himself. This, at that period, was common practice in all inland country towns. The school fur ed the means to meet the expense of his legal studies in the of James Putnam, Esq. then an attorney of celebrity in this cour In 1758, he entered the office of Robert Auchmuty, Esq. residin Roxbury, and in 1759 commenced his professional career in Bostia.

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Mr. Adams had but entered public life, when the controversy respecting the prerogatives of the parent government and the rights of the provinces reached an important crisis. On one side, the British Parliament issued a Declaration that they possess power to bind the colonies in all cases whatsoever, and on the other, the Provincial assembly denied that they owed subjection to Parliament, and protested against any tax laid on the colonies by this authority. They professed allegiance to the king, acknowledged that he, in Council possessed a constitutional power to regulate their trade, &c. Mr. Adams was admirably qualified to take a part in this political contention. He possessed strong powers of mind, his natural temperament was high, his passions were ardent, and his constitutional inflexibility, which in small concerns a¡ peared like weakness and obstinacy, in important affairs rose to a resolution that surmounted all opposition. An undaunted spirit, and an invincible fortitude in the prosecution of a purpose, were as important to a revolutionary leader in the 18th, as these attributes were essential to the character of the great reformer in the 14th century. And between Luther and our countryman, there was a similarity, both in respect to the character of their minds, and to their constitutional defects.

During the few years devoted to professional duties, Mr. Adams rose to distinction; and he was numbered with the patriots, who openly asserted the freedom of their country, and boldly defended its rights. In March, 1770, an unhappy affray happened between a detachment of the British troops and numbers of the inhabitants of Boston: several persons being killed by the firing of the soldiery, popular resentment rose to a great height, and vengeance was loudly demanded against the assailants. Under this excitement, Mr. Adams opposed the prevalent frenzy, defended the officer and his men in a court of justice, and supported law against the outrage of a mob. The indictment on this trial was for murder, but the verdict of the jury acquitted the officer, and reduced the of fence of the soldiers who fired, to manslaughter. This manly and independent discharge of duty exposed him to momentary suspicion; but the confidence of his countrymen rested on a foundation too stable to be shaken by a transaction of this nature.

In 1774, Mr. Adams was elected a member of the Continental Congress appointed to meet at Philadelphia, and deliberate on the general interests of the American colonies. In this body Mr. Adams became a conspicuous and able member. When hostilities commenced, and no hopes remained of reconciliation on safe principles with the parent country, no member was more efficient than he in preparing Congress to take a permanent stand as an independent At this crisis, from policy, a member from Virginia was solicited to move the resolution for Independence. Mr. Adams seconded the motion, and supported the measure by an eloquent and powerful argument.

nation.

Mr. Adams, in 1776, was appointed Chief Justice of Massachusetts, but his more extended engagements prevented his filling this honourable office. In September, of this year, Congress commissioned Dr. Franklin, J. Adams and E. Rutledge, Esqs. to open a conference with Lord Howe. They had an interview with him on Staten Island. His Lordship refused to treat with Congress as a legitimate body, and the committee refused to act in their individual capacity. The meeting therefore had no practical result.In 1778, he was sent to France in a public character, in the hope of conciliating that government to the new order of things on the American Continent. He returned to the place of his nativity in 1779, and assisted in the formation of the constitution of our Commonwealth, which has been the model of most constitutions since formed.

In November, 1779, Mr. Adams was invested with two commissions by Congress, one constituting him minister plenipotentiary to negotiate a peace with Great Britain, the second to negotiate a treaty of commerce with that power. On the 17th day of this month he embarked for Europe. In 1780, Congress invested him with a power to negotiate loans with any person or persons, pledging the faith of the United States to ratify his contracts; and in 1781, he was constituted in due form Minister to Holland. In the execution of these important trusts, he greatly aided the cause of his country. By his writings in the public Journals of Holland, and by his communications with distinguished individuals he obtained loans, and was thereby enabled to forward to America the materials of successful warfare. In the definitive treaty of peace, he had a primary agency, and with unyielding inflexibility maintained the rights of a sovereign nation.

While abroad, Mr. Adams, in a series of publications abounding with deep research and manifesting great political knowledge, explained and defended our civil constitutions, and illustrated the necessity of checks and balances in the several departments of gov

ernment.

Great Britain having acknowledged our independence, and peace being established, Mr. Adams was the first minister of the United States to the Court of London. Here a novel circumstance was presented. The King, who had declared that he would never consent to the dismemberment of his empire, received a minister from a Republic, composed of his revolted provinces; the minister was a citizen, who had been marked as an arch rebel, and had the crown prevailed, he would have been destined to an halter. The address on this singular occasion was honorable to the minister and to his country; the reply of the King was magnanimous. (See note A.)

When the present constitution of the United States went into operation, our citizen was placed in the important station of Vice President, and was efficient in carrying the principles of the government into beneficial effect. At a very important crisis, he succeeded Gen. Washington as President of the United States. The personal character of President Washington had saved, and perhaps his influence alone could have saved, the country from being involved in the destiny of infatuated France. The French revolution had excited a party spirit among our countrymen of great acrimony, and when the government deemed it necessary to repel encroachments directed against the vital principles of a sovereign nation, vi

olent opposition arose; and some measures then adopted, were attended with great and continued disapprobation. The odium of these measures rested in no small degree on the principal of the administration, and to this day, many seem disposed to visit the errors of the father on the son.

Goaded by the criminations of his political opponents, wounded by the dereliction of some whom he had considered as his friends, mortified at the issue of his political career, and irritated by the reflection that his patriotic services were not rewarded by the gratitude which he thought they merited, his constitutional propensitise appeared, and in the heat of passion he spake unadvisedly with his tongue. But if he reviled his opponents, his opponents were not behind him in the acrimony of their censures, or the bitterness of their criminations. The defects he in these instances manifested should be considered as imperfections in the man, and not as faults in the ruler. His integrity was never impeached. Never did he descend to base arts for the sake of popularity. Open, explicit, firm, he maintained a consistent course, and from every public office he retired with clean hands.

His residence fixed, at his native village, be inconsiderately yielded to the solicitation of a vain relative, and imprudently unbosomed his feelings in confidential letters, which being at a subsequent period treacherously made public, revived political animosities, which at the time had almost passed from public recollection, But he lived till the bruit, occasioned by this publication, was hushed into silence.

In 1820, President Adams was elected a member from Quincy of the Convention, chosen to revise the constitution of Massachusetts. This convention in the most respectful manner elected him their President. Declining this honorable office on account of infirmity by age, he occasionally attended the deliberations of this body, and revis ed the constitution, which forty years before he had assisted to form. This transaction closed his public life. Retaining his mental powers in an uncommon degree, in his retirement he was visited by many distinguished characters, and under the gradual decline of life, he was cheered by a view of the increasing prosperity of the nation. He lived to see the three millions, that composed the inhabitants of the associated provinces in 1776, multiplied into twelve millions; he lived till thirteen states were increased to twenty four, till the original frontier of the United States became the centre of a numerous population, till the basis of society in his country was widely extended, and the

means of human happiness were greatly increased. He lived to witness the unexampled progress of the United States in all those improvements, which render country dear and life valuable. His existence was protracted to the Jubilee of our national birth; and enough of mind then remained, to recognize its associations, and strength enough to exclaim "a great, a happy day." The first sounds of his manly voice were heard in defence of the rights of his country; and the accents of expiring nature were aspirations of thanks for public blessings. When the measure of human life was full, and while his own son was at the head of the national administration, at the expiration of fifty years from the promulgation of independence, his spirit ascended amidst the mingled incense of devout praise and gratitude, that arose from the altars of our land for our public peace, health and prosperity. A glorious exit.

But the brightest feature in the character of President Adams has not yet been presented to your view. He was a religious man. He lived under deep impressions of Divine superintendence, he reverenced the authority of God, and made religion the rule of his conduct. Firmly established, on the result of examination, in the belief of the truth of Christianity, he cordially embraced it, and lived in the habitual observance of its public institutions. No company was permitted to draw him away from his constant attendance on public worship: but he ever left those gentlemen around his table, who were not inclined to accompany him to the house of prayer. He honored the Saviour by commemorating his death in the rite of the supper, and his general conversation was such as becometh the gospel. Under the infirmities of age, religion supported him, and he died in the expectation of being admitted into the society of just men made perfect, of becoming personally acquainted with JESUS, the author and finisher of our faith, and of dwelling forever in the fullness of the presence of God.

The public character of our illustrious citizen, I present to you, my young friends, who are engaged in various professional pursuits. Few of you commence your career under circumstances more unfavorable than his were. Let his success animate your efforts. Though opportunity may not be given you to serve your country and generation as he did, nor to rise in society to his height of em inence; yet if you emulate his application and fortitude, his rectitude and constancy, you will be qualified for distinguished usefulness, your course will become respectable, and your names will be honored.