Professor at Brigham Young university. He held a phd in history from the university of maryland. His publications include, slavery and politics in the early american republic, a possible a possible union, a political biography. He is also coedited several volumes, including, contesting slavery, the politics of bondage and freedom, and the new american nation. And, massachusetts in the civil war. With conrad rice. David is a distinguished professor of history. He is a historian is the early 19thcentury america, and his interest span political and cultural history, slavery, and antislavery. His books include, slaverys constitution, from revolution to ratification, runaway america, Benjamin Franklin slavery in the american resolution revolution, and in the midst of the making of american nationalism. He has also edited a number of volumes in is the recipient of a number of distinguished awards. I am pleased to welcome them tonight and look forward to their insights on one of my favorite, John Quincy Adams. Thank you. [applause] thank you, sarah, thank you all for being here. We are really excited to think about John Quincy Adams here at the mhs. Did a lot of research that i can i remember fondly over the years in this room. Its fun to be here to talk about John Quincy Adams. This volume weve put together is heavy on the diary come as the subtitle suggests. Presentation will be heavy with subjects from that diary. With explanatory footnote that said the context for those entries. I will introduced where we are headed, and david will read sometimes extended collections from the diary and comment on those. It will be a tagteam tonight, that was davids idea. We are about to find out whether it will be fun. [laughter] John Quincy Adams is probably best known to americans today is an antislavery hero. Best expresident s in american history, probably known to some degree as president as well. One of the reasons we set out to study John Quincy Adams, we are both interested in the way people think about and practice slavery in the context of american politics. That is a complicated scenario, for people to act. We are both interested in the way this works from the American Revolution to the civil war. One advantage, he gives us a large percentage of that. He gives us a large chunk of that period, and we are both attracted to biography as a way to explore how people interact with slavery over a long period of time. It is true that John Quincy Adams was antislavery in his principles, but it could never be that simple for him or anyone else. David a Great American historian, 41 years ago, important book, laid out the idea that most people, pretty much everyone interacted with slavery and context of other priorities and commitments they had in their lives. Slavery could never be presented pure and simple as an issue. They acted and responded to slavery in different ways across time, based on the way its interacted with those principles and priorities. Sometimes advanced antislavery action on the part of northerners, sometimes limited antislavery practice and expression on the part of antislavery northerners. Adams is antislavery, but he also carries core commitments the complicated his relationship with slavery. They overlap with each other. I want to lay out a few of these competing priorities by framing what we will look at tonight. Thing one, alongside antislavery, his commitment to advancing his personal political career. For John Quincy Adams, that was never simply personal political ambition, given that he wasnt adams grew up sonosite president , distinguished statesman, who made no effort to be subtle about the political pressures he put on his son. John is quotable. Fun letter fred commitment to life with advantages, which will explain to you if your success is mediocre. And if you do not rise to the head of your country, it will be oh wing to your own laziness. [laughter] and obstinacy. It was president for someone like John Quincy Adams presidency or not. That had to play a role in everything he contemplated until he became resident. Overlapping with his personal prospects political principles that had to do on their face with slavery. He was especially in the postwar between 12 years, deeply committed to an ethics of a great history and come at any walker call the ethic of improvement, with a i, and are meant in terms of these United States infrastructure, moral reform, building railroads, universities the whole ethic of improved. That was simply sewn John Quincy Adamss priority. It embodied in the National Republican party and in the whig party which he acted for his later political career after the war of 1812. He had to remain committed to those in suppose as a way of advancing his own career. Sometimes those helped him express antislavery principles, sometimes they suppressed public expressions. He was also deeply committed to the union. To preserving the United States as a federated union of different states, very diverse , north versus south for one. A stress that runs throughout the union, also east versus west. This is also overlapping with his commitment to building railroads. He was one of the leading proponents of the idea that we need to tie the union together by means of railroads, canals, as well as reform that will only strengthen the union. That seems to him a pressing priority that as were going to explore did not usually encourage an expression of an open antislavery position given how deeply divisive that was to american politics. And then, for a High Percentage of his career as we will examine over the next few minutes, he was involved with United States president , prospects, and profile out of the larger world, and as secretary of state. For him, american sovereignty always seemed under threat, especially for the british, and always needed to be protect. Thats another core principle that come as were going to see, really, kids the way he interacted with slavery. With those they priorities personal political prospects, that of his party, the union, the United States and the larger world stage, that should i hope that the context for the selection diaries that we are going to explore the next few minutes. John quincy adams is early political career, what struck us as we read through his diaries, visit studied silence on the issue of slavery. For instance, when the United States constitution was being proposed and debated and ratified, the slavery clauses in the constitution were extraordinarily controversial here in massachusetts. He understood that. One thing that strikes you from his diary entries throughout thatp erio his reactions period didnt say anything about the slave trade clause, any clauses involving slavery. Didnt seem to be on his radar, as registered in his diary. Then he was serving in the senate, when we get to our first entry. In 1807 united dates senate was debating a bill to ban the slave trade to the United States. It is in that context that the slave trade bill comes to his attention. I give to david wall stretcher to read from the diary. This is a short excerpt. I will read longer ones. It is a representative of one in the sense, but in the diary, certainly by this time, John Quincy Adams is using this as a record of this is what happened today, this is what i want to remember, but it also often reflecting upon it quite directly. So you do get a window into his thoughts. Hes quite intentional about that. These are things that i might written down but i might not be imng to everyone interacting with, people whose conversations im recording. A slave though, which originated with the committee of the hall, echelon debate. Mr. K come made a speech upon one of these he is quite the young man. I intend to take no part in the debates on this subject. We would think of henry clay as more likely to be avoiding the issue of slavery, even perhaps in the 1790s. Its actually John Quincy Adams. He does not give us more on why that is, but it is quite representative. At this time in 1807, he doesnt think its the highest priority. Present resolutions that criticized slave power, as they were beginning to call it, domination of that institution command of congress more generally. He had spoken about this, and also written a speech that he probably didnt deliver, there are nearly are collected writings. His context for avoiding the subject is that he doesnt want to be typecast as a new england federalists who is starting to a checked to marginalization and National Politics due to the dominance of the jeffersonians. Rather, this is actually come at the moment when he is starting to identify with the administration, and he is going to be alone along that to support the embargo. He is going to switch parties, though he might not have put it that way because he didnt like parties. At that time or later. Its really incumbent upon him to take notes on that subject because he thinks there are more important things going on. This is going to cost him his senate seat. This just might wasnt maybe the principled stand we would expect. Im on. He leaves the senate, then he has a golden parachute hes an important diplomatic position. He is our first minister to russia. He helped negotiate the end of the war of 1812. As part of a delegation that included mr. Clay among others, then he served as minister to great britain. That ships are focused to John Quincy Adams and slavery out in the larger world. Always with respect to the british the british are constantly hanging over. In november of 1812, he was serving in russia and they feel like encapsulate in his career, and you would get his future path surrounding slavery. At this time, even in this early career. It would guide his future path in various negotiations with the british surrounding slavery. Had abolish the slave trade in 1807, led by people like wilberforce and thomas clarkson. The negotiations usually when Something Like this. The british minister would aproach the ambassador from foreign country and say, you know what would be cool . If you joined with us to help abolish the slave trade. And if it was the following form you at the royal navy get on a ship flying your flag to search for slaves, wouldnt that be awesome . [laughter] theyre talking to the portuguese, spanish, anyone who will listen including the United States of america. It is in that context, and also leading up to the war of 1812, when we get our next diary entry. Whether it will be eventually abolished, is in fact get a problem. The slave trade is beyond question and abomination, disgraceful to the human character, but there are so many interests concurring to support it. I say the motive that the abolitionists are in a great degree fashion and faction for the impressment of seamen, is to all intents and purposes, unjust and immoral, oppressive and to radical is the slave trade. Every particle of arguments i can bear against the slave trade ears with equal force against the president. So not only was John Quincy Adams towing his party line here, he was being an effect to and good diplomats. Hes really does she has these jobs, getting these jobs, diplomat negotiating treaties , eventually secretary of state, and he becomes really the new nations leading diplomats. Hes really good at answering the british. When hes doing this, this isnt an aberration. He is effective. He comes up with the right arguments. He knows the president , he studied the protocols, he studied the history. The british take him seriously. Theres always been a hit of a disconnect between his reputation as diplomat secretary said he is in many ways the foundation of american foreignpolicy, and then his seemingly failed the presidency, and his later congressional career. One of the things you find looking all the way through the see the connections between those three parts of his career. What were seeing here and is fighting back against the british saying the president is terrible is, he thinks he still fighting the american resolution hes fighting for National Independence and sovereignty. Hes doing so in a way that it does matter what section he comes from trade but my favorite diary entries from this period for he meets george for the first time in london and canning starts to query him about differences. How dare he consider me but how dare he suggest on not on the same page as the virginians. By the time he saying mr. Cannon he is expecting them to try to use slavery to divide and conquer. Hes not going to go there. The one thing i should have said, the context, one of the leading causes of the war of 1812 was the british habit and policy of ordering american ships to search for british sailors operating as american sailors. Americans as immigrants. He said no, those are americans. You come here, you become an american in the 19th century. [laughter] the british said, no, you have a perpetual loyalty to britain trade were born in britain, you will always be in britain. We have every right, especially in the context of new napoleonic worse to impress you and our service. Thats what hes referring to in terms of that. That led to the war of 1812, but that very issue in many ways encapsulated his fears for american sovereignty. Helped set the context for his reaction to british proposals. Then he comes back to the United States after that longperiod of service in britain, and become secretary of state under the munro administrations. While there, he was confronted with two domestic manifestations of the politics of slavery that constantly seems to be grabbing his attention whether he liked it or not. The first one began in 1860 with the american causation society the project was to send free africanamericans to liberia in western africa. They would get a lot of Government Support for this, they would have a lot of momentum. The way to solve the problem of slavery, also the problem of free black people. That is the way to people talked about both of those things. That was the way of solving those twin problems. He is constantly being controlled to respond, and is reluctant to do so. It will let him lay out in his entries to follow. Then in 1819, the explosion of the missouri crisis that lasted until 1821, missouri applies to become the state, and james from new york says, that is great, as long as we have slavery there. Can that kicks off a twoyear conflict over slaverys future in the territories. This is a territory that wants to become a state that is carved out of the louisiana purchase. They seem to have states involving that entire purchase, and the future of slavery in the United States. Its a brutal your conflict that raises not only conflict out of the newspapers, public meetings. For my first book i researched i will speak on this issue with brevity coming to goes for three hours . [laughter] you are in the middle of a donnybrook. He does so within the framework of all of these other priorities. Really an extended period in his diary that he reflects on the missouri crisis. I said the Colonization Society pushing their object so much they very much wish their memorial might be taken up by congress under the color of colonizing black people, i was afraid that they would smuggle upon us a system of establishing colonies. Of the consequences of which the people of this country were little aware. They were introducing nardi had a consensus a new principle of the nations more formidable to human liberty them that slave trade itself. Commander from brussels in time of peace. There are so many considerations of delicacy lingering with this subject, that i would gladly keep a look from it all together. I apprehend the society, which is intolerant. It will push and intrigue and worry until i shall be obliged two. Publicly among their components. The project of extricating United States from free people of color at the public expense colonizing them in africa is so far upon part with john theres actually a meme on the internet, the John Quincy Adams supported the project to get to the polls by traveling through the center of the earth. [laughter] he recorded this conversation, he listened to them and didnt disapprove people had taken that out of context. I love the passage. You have him thinking out loud. One of the things so fascinating about taking away the political actor throughout his career is, he sees how issues are connected. Sometimes, he cannot resist talking about them, even though it is politically problematic. Nobody wants to hear it. Something contemporary scholars are talking about it now as, thats what they called it. We dont see colonization as a National Natural thing. He said wait a minute. Ive been going around saying that britain is the colonizing power that wants to enslave us. The Monroe Doctrine he is talking about america as different, not a colonizing power, but rather an exemplar of selfdetermination and liberty. This would have a real costs if we become, i stretch we will get ourselves involved in the same traditions as the empire and is continuing to do. So this is quite stash this passage is a good example of these connections right on the eve of the missouri crisis, or he tried very hard to say, ok, what income whats constitutional and what is not . Lets not complicate this by the ideological question about whether slavery is good or bad. So. As at the beginning i will read it several passages of from this extended debate, which other in some ways, the best known from the diary. Often you see them in your textbooks and biographies. This is july 15 19. The beginning of the missouri crisis. He is secretary of state, going some of the debates in congress, reading about the transcripts in the newspapers. To register restriction slaveholding states. It has been communicated that states them