John Quincy Adams

Abstract John Quincy Adams, unlike predecessors who quailed at the assertion of federal authority that lacked clear constitutional sanction, boldly declared that liberty is power, and advocated an ambitious program of internal improvements. The Adams program, in fact, was the forerunner of later initiatives such as the Square Deal, the New Deal, the Great Society, and Bidenomics. Opponents, though, denied Adams fulfillment of his vision. His place in history derives primarily from his career as a diplomat before entering the White House and as the intrepid crusader against the gag rule after ending the presidency. Adams, it is pointed out, spent a lifetime dedicated to the Patriot cause.