QUINCY, Mass. — Nearly two centuries ago, on the momentous day of July 4, 1826—a day of grand celebration marking the quinquagenary of the Declaration of Independence—John Adams, America’s most based and underrated Founding Father, drew his final breath. This remarkable and uncanny concurrence saw not just the passing of Adams, but also that of his compatriot Thomas Jefferson, who departed from this world just after midday at the age of 83 in Monticello, Virginia. In an extraordinary twist of fate, mere hours later, Adams succumbed in Quincy, Massachusetts, at the venerable age of ninety. However, rather than dwell on the sorrow of his passing, honour and commemorate the profound legacy of his life and the contributions of an American Founding Father, writer, Christian, and diplomat who served as the second President of the United States from 1797 to 1801. A towering figure of the American Revolution, Adams’s illustrious career encompassed numerous significant achievements. He played a pivotal role in the drafting of the Declaration of Independence and authored the constitution for the state of Massachusetts. His diplomatic prowess was demonstrated through his service in England, France, and the Netherlands, where he was instrumental in negotiating the Treaty of Paris. Additionally, Adams was the nation’s first Vice President, serving under President George Washington.
John Adams, America’s Metternich, was born on October 30, 1735, to John Adams Sr. and Susanna Boylston, who emerged from a lineage rooted in the rich soil of Braintree, Massachusetts. Adams was the eldest of three brothers, with Peter and Elihu following, Adams’s birthplace was the family farm in the rustic town. His maternal lineage boasted prominence in the community of what is now Brookline, Massachusetts, while his father was a man of many roles, a devout deacon of the Congregational Church (Purtianism), a diligent farmer, a skilled cordwainer, and a lieutenant in the militia. Adams frequently extolled his father’s virtues, cherishing the profound bond they shared. Despite being raised Puritan, Adams would become disillusioned with Calvinism and would later convert to Unitarianism, a faith that resonated with his preference for a more straightforward approach to Christianity. He often referred to himself as a “church-going animal”, a testament to his devout nature. John Adams also expressed another time, “Ask me not whether I am Protestant, Calvinistic or Arminian, as far as they are Christians, I wish to be a fellow disciple with them all.” The Adams family’s American story began with Henry Adams, John’s great-great-grandfather, who emigrated from Braintree, Essex, England, to the New World around 1638, laying the foundations of a legacy that would profoundly shape the nascent nation. John Adams’ early education was marked by episodes of truancy, a strong aversion to his schoolmaster, and an aspiration to become a farmer. Despite his son’s reluctance, Deacon Adams insisted that young John continue his schooling. The turning point came with the hiring of a new schoolmaster, Joseph Marsh, to whom Adams responded positively. Reflecting on his childhood, Adams later remarked, “As a child, I enjoyed perhaps the greatest of blessings that can be bestowed upon men—that of a mother who was anxious and capable of forming the characters of her children.”
This maternal influence, integrated with the improved educational environment, helped shape the future Founding Father’s character and intellect. Given his contemplation of biblical teachings, it is reasonable to infer that such verses left a lasting impression on Adams' later legal and moral philosophy. Leviticus 19:15, which states, “You shall do no iniquity in judgment. You shall not favor the wretched, and you shall not defer to the rich. In righteousness, you are to judge your fellow”, advocates for impartiality and fairness in judgment regardless of one’s financial status. This principle likely influenced Adams’s thinking and writings, reinforcing his commitment to justice and fairness. An adolescent Adams graduated from Harvard College in 1755 and subsequently took up a teaching position in Worcester while studying law under Rufus Putnam. His legal acumen was recognized in 1758, when he was admitted to the bar. Even in his youth, Adams cultivated the habit of meticulously documenting events and character assessments. One of his earliest and most significant writings was his detailed report on James Otis’s 1761 argument before the Massachusetts Superior Court concerning the unconstitutionality of writs of assistance. Years later, as an old man, John Adams undertook to document his recollections of James Otis’s 1761 argument regarding the unconstitutionality of writs of assistance. Comparing these accounts reveals Adams’ consistent zeal for the American colonies’ cause. Unlike his second cousin, Samuel Adams, who excelled in popular leadership, John Adams influenced events through his expertise as a constitutional lawyer. He was impetuous, intense, and often vehement, demonstrating unflinching courage and wholehearted devotion to his cause. However, his vanity, pride of opinion, and inherent contentiousness frequently hindered his political career, especially during his presidency.
Adams’ prominence rose as a leader of the Massachusetts Whigs during the Stamp Act discussions in 1765. He drafted influential instructions for the town of Braintree, anonymously contributed significant articles to the Boston Gazette, and delivered a notable speech declaring the Stamp Act invalid. In his “Dissertation on the Feudal and Canon Law,” John Adams vehemently criticizes Parliament’s encroachment into colonial affairs, describing it as an “enormous engine, fabricated by the British Parliament, for battering down all the Rights and Liberties of America.” He invokes the legacy of classical democracies, arguing that such oppressive dependencies were absent in the ancient seats of liberty, such as the republics of Greece and Rome. Adams asserts that the founders of these democracies recognized that slavish subordinations were fundamentally inconsistent with the constitution of human nature, thereby affirming the American colonies’ quest for freedom and self-governance. Adams, like Metternich, recognized the importance of a strong state to maintain order and stability. Adams worried about the “tyranny of the majority” and recognized that bourgeoisie democracy quickly dies from suicide. Adams posited that the contemporary English constitution had refined classical models, particularly admiring its separation of powers and representative government. He acknowledged America’s distinct reliance on commerce, noting its greater wealth, population, and territorial expanse compared to ancient republics. This made the issue of luxuria—moral decay through wealth accumulation—more pressing for American thinkers than for their classical counterparts. While the ancients viewed traders with disdain due to this concern, Adams nuanced this stance, drawing support from his analysis of the Carthaginian constitution. In words later echoed by Joseph Marie, comte de Maistre, John Adams eloquently articulated that the constitution was “only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” and believed that Christianity played a major role in the development of his view of proper republican government and the desire to base his ideal government upon the rule of law.
Later, he moved to Boston and, two years later, displayed remarkable moral courage by defending British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre. This defence, though unpopular, led to his election to the Massachusetts House of Representatives. As a member of the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1778, Adams’s influence was profound. He seconded George Washington's nomination as commander-in-chief and championed Richard Henry Lee’s resolution for independence. Adams played a crucial role in drafting the Declaration of Independence and chaired the Board of War and Ordnance. In 1778, Adams sailed to France to join the American Commission but advised reducing the number of commissioners, leading to his return. Adams was later elected to the convention that framed the Massachusetts Constitution, drawing inspiration from his “Thoughts on Government”. In this work, he critiques the British constitution, which, unlike the American single-document constitution, consists of a series of documents outlining the perceived rights of every “Englishman” of his era. The most notable of these is the Magna Carta, the “Great Charter”, signed by King John in 1215 under pressure from his barons. Adams’ wrote that “A man must be indifferent to the sneers of modern Englishmen to mention in their company the names of Sidney, Harrington, Locke, Milton, Nedham, Neville, Burnet, and Hoadley. No small fortitude is necessary to confess that one has read them . . . the only valuable part of the British constitution is so; because the very definition of a Republic is ‘an Empire of Laws, and not of men.” In 1779, Adams was appointed minister plenipotentiary for negotiating peace and commerce treaties with Great Britain, playing a key role in securing a favourable treaty in 1782.
In 1785, Adams became the first American ambassador of the United States to the United Kingdom, which is also referred to as the minister to the court of St. James’. During his tenure, he published “A Defense of the Constitution of the Government of the United States”, which defended the state governments’ frameworks. However, some phrases offended his countrymen, contributing to his receiving only thirty-four votes in the first presidential election, leading to his vice presidency under George Washington. And in the year 1796, the conservative Adams was elected president, defeating the more liberal Thomas Jefferson. His presidency was marked by internal party strife, the controversial Alien and Sedition Acts, and his dedication to securing peace with France. John Adams, akin to Metternich and later Bismarck, demonstrated a pragmatic approach to foreign policy. Adams notably steered the United States away from war with France despite considerable public pressure, prioritizing diplomatic resolution over conflict. Similarly, Metternich, as Austria’s statesman, forged alliances with former adversaries only when advantageous to Austria’s strategic interests, contributing to European stability in the post-Napoleonic era. This pragmatic stance exemplified by Adams, and Metternich, later mirrored by Bismarck, underscores their shared commitment to realpolitik and the pursuit of national interests through diplomacy rather than confrontation. Four years later, he sadly lost the presidency to Jefferson and retired to private life. John Adams married Abigail Smith in 1764, a woman of great ability whose letters provide valuable insights into the period. Their eldest son, John Quincy Adams, would later become president.