John Quincy Adams was an American statesman, politician, diplomat, and lawyer who served as the sixth president of the United States, from 1825 to 1829. He is famous for his political achievements, commitment to public service, and fight against the expansion of slavery. Here are the best John Quincy Adams quotes from his inauguration day address and other milestone speeches. These quotes reflect the importance of leadership, education, and voting rights offering timeless wisdom for generations to come.
Born on 11 July 1767, in Braintree, Massachusetts, United States, Adams was the son of Founding Father and second U.S. President John Adams and First Lady Abigail Adams.
Adams started his political career when he served as the U.S. minister to the Netherlands under President George Washington. Following this he served as the U.S. minister to Prussia under President Thomas Jefferson.
As a diplomat, Adams helped America build crucial relationships with European countries. His excellent diplomatic abilities and intellectual prowess led him to more important positions in the U.S government.
In 1817, he became the U.S. secretary of state under President James Monroe. During his eight years of tenure in this position, Adams negotiated several important treaties. He also played a pivotal role in the formulation of the Monroe Doctrine, a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy.
Adams gained widespread respect and admiration for his sharp acumen and diplomatic abilities, leading to his election as the sixth president of the United States in 1824.
As the leader of the Democratic-Republican Party, Adams advocated for a strong federal government, building of modern infrastructure projects, establishment of a national university, and the expansion of American territory. His presidency was marked by several significant reforms and achievements.
Some of John Quincy Adams accomplishments and policies include:
- Adams played an important role in ending war with Britain in 1802 by signing the Treaty Of Ghent.
- He negotiated the Adams–Onís Treaty, which secured Florida for the United States and defined the boundary of the Louisiana Purchase.
- He successfully defended the rebels of the slave ship Amistad as freemen before the Supreme Court. He helped them secure a passage home against efforts to return them to their masters and to inevitable death.
- Adams earned the nickname “Old Man Eloquent” for his active fight against the expansion of slavery and his unwavering commitment to justice.
Through his leadership, Adams played a pivotal role in upholding the values of equality, freedom, and democracy.
His remarkable achievements throughout his political career make him one of the most important figures in American history.
Check out these famous John Quincy Adams quotes on courage, gratitude, liberty, and more to get inspired and motivated.
Top 10 John Quincy Adams Quotes
- “Duty is ours, results are God’s.” — John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams Quotes - “Try and fail, but don’t fail to try.” — John Quincy Adams
Quotes By John Quincy Adams - “Be a great speaker, become a leader.” — John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams Leadership Quote - “Individual liberty is individual power.” — John Quincy Adams
Quotes Of John Quincy Adams - “Idleness is sweet, and its consequences are cruel.” — John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams Quote - “Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.” — John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams Famous Quotes - “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” — John Quincy Adams
Best John Quincy Adams Quotes - “Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman, before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air.” — John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams Inspirational Quotes - “Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.” — John Quincy Adams
Top 10 John Quincy Adams Quotes - “Posterity! You will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it.” — John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams Sayings
Best John Quincy Adams On Leadership
- “The freedom of the press should be inviolate.” — John Quincy Adams
- “From the experience of the past we derive instructive lessons for the future.” — John Quincy Adams
- “America is a friend of freedom everywhere, but a custodian only of our own.” — John Quincy Adams
- “I am a warrior, so that my son may be a merchant, so that his son may be a poet.” — John Quincy Adams
- “The influence of each human being on others in this life is a kind of immortality.” — John Quincy Adams
- “To believe that everyone is honest is folly, but to believe that no one is honest is worse.” — John Quincy Adams
- “No book in the world deserves to be so unceasingly studied, and so profoundly meditated upon as the Bible.” — John Quincy Adams
- “Those who take oaths to politically powerful secret societies cannot be depended on for loyalty to a democratic republic.” — John Quincy Adams
- “The experience of all former ages had shown that of all human governments, democracy was the most unstable, fluctuating and short-lived.” — John Quincy Adams
- “I have to study politics and war so that my sons can study mathematics, commerce and agriculture, so their sons can study poetry, painting and music.” — John Quincy Adams
Famous Quotes By John Quincy Adams
- “Virtue is not always amiable.” — John Quincy Adams
- “Whoever tells the best story wins.” — John Quincy Adams
- “A stout heart, a clear conscience, and never despair.” — John Quincy Adams
- “The firmest security of peace is the preparation during peace of the defenses of war.” — John Quincy Adams
- “A man’s diary is a record in youth of his sentiments, in middle age of his actions, in old age of his reflections.” — John Quincy Adams
- “We understand now, we’ve been made to understand, and to embrace the understanding that who we are is who we were.” — John Quincy Adams
- “Posterity – you will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it.” — John Quincy Adams
- “Wherever the standard of freedom and independence has been or shall be unfurled, there will be America’s heart, her benedictions and her prayers.” — John Quincy Adams
- “Civil liberty can be established on no foundation of human reason which will not at the same time demonstrate the right of religious freedom.” — John Quincy Adams
- “The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.” — John Quincy Adams
Memorable Quotes Of John Quincy Adams
- “Where annual elections end where slavery begins.” — John Quincy Adams
- “Every temptation is an opportunity of our getting nearer to God.” — John Quincy Adams
- “The first and almost the only Book deserving of universal attention is the Bible.” — John Quincy Adams
- “The magistrate is the servant not of his own desires, not even of the people, but of his God.” — John Quincy Adams
- “I cannot ask of heaven success, even for my country, in a cause where she should be in the wrong.” — John Quincy Adams
- “The law is an artificial human construct, quite arbitrary, and of absolutely no use anywhere else but in a court of law!” — John Quincy Adams
- “The Bible contains the revelation of the will of God. It contains the history of the creation of the world, and of mankind.” — John Quincy Adams
- “America, goes not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy. She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all.” — John Quincy Adams
- “The manners of women are the surest criterion by which to determine whether a republican government is practicable in a nation or not.” — John Quincy Adams
- “Find a mission that you can give yourself over to and then spend your days moving that mission forward. Man is made so that when anything fires his soul the impossibilities vanish. The influence of each human being on others in this life is a kind of immortality.” — John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams Quotes And Sayings
- “This is a land, not of privileges, but of equal rights.” — John Quincy Adams
- “The four most miserable years of my life were my four years in the presidency.” — John Quincy Adams
- “May our country always be successful, but whether successful or otherwise, always right.” — John Quincy Adams
- “The will of the people is the source and the happiness of the people the end of all legitimate government upon earth.” — John Quincy Adams
- “The nation which enjoys the most freedom must necessarily be in proportion to its numbers the most powerful nation.” — John Quincy Adams
- “The best guarantee against the abuse of power consists in the freedom, the purity, and the frequency of popular elections.” — John Quincy Adams
- “All great changes are irksome to the human mind, especially those which are attended with great dangers and uncertain effects.” — John Quincy Adams
- “If the fundamental principles in the Declaration of Independence, as self-evident truths, are real truths, the existence of slavery, in any form, is a wrong.” — John Quincy Adams
- “In charity to all mankind, bearing no malice or ill will to any human being, and even compassionating those who hold in bondage their fellow men, not knowing what they do.” — John Quincy Adams
- “The conflict between the principle of liberty and the fact of slavery is coming gradually to an issue. Slavery has now the power, and falls into convulsions at the approach of freedom.” — John Quincy Adams
More John Quincy Adams Quotes
- “Westward the star of empire takes its way.” — John Quincy Adams
- “It was the special purpose of Christ’s appearance upon earth to bring immortality to light.” — John Quincy Adams
- “The Bible is the book of all others, to be read at all ages, and in all conditions of human life.” — John Quincy Adams
- “The Bible carries with it the history of the creation, the fall and redemption of man, and discloses to him, in the infant born at Bethlehem, the Legislator and Savior of the world.” — John Quincy Adams
- “The hope of a Christian is inseparable from his faith. Whoever believes in the Divine inspiration of the Holy Scriptures must hope that the religion of Jesus shall prevail throughout the earth.” — John Quincy Adams
Fun Facts About John Quincy Adams (Personal Details)
Born: July 11, 1767 Braintree, Massachusetts Bay, British America
Died: February 23, 1848 (aged 80) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Resting place: United First Parish Church
Education: Harvard University (AB, AM)
Occupation: Politician & Lawyer
Political party: Federalist (1792–1808), Democratic-Republican (1809–1828), National Republican (1828–1830), Anti-Masonic (1830–1834), & Whig (1834–1848)
Spouse: Louisa Johnson (m. 1797)
Children: 4, including George, John II and Charles
Famous For: Being the only ex-President to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Conclusion
Let us know which are your favorite John Quincy Adams quotations (with images, slogans, & wallpapers)? If you have a quote that is not on the above list, please share it in the comments section below.
So, feel free to share with friends and family on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, and more to spread positive vibes.
