## **Overview:** #### **John Quincy Adams <> 1825-1829 (6th President)** - **Good:** - Military Training Manual Initiative - {*1826*} - (Adams approved funding for the standardization of military training manuals for the U.S. Army. The War Department under his administration, began publishing and distributing official manuals for drills, tactics, and discipline.The idea of this was to ensure consistency in how troops were trained across different states and regions, to professionalize the regular army and militia units, and improve combat readiness and reduce chaos during joint operations. Part of Adams' broader efforts to modernize and standardize federal institutions and to use the federal government to promote efficiency, education, and scientific approaches even in the military. Overall it helped create a more unified and disciplined military, reducing confusion between different militia units trained under conflicting local customs and showed Adams commitment to order, structure, and national coherence especially during a time with rising tensions. This wasn’t a huge policy or initiative but I will not give it less credit or knock its placement due to that.) - Resolution of War Damages of The War of 1812 - {*1826*} - (The U.S. and Britain finalized a settlement of outstanding claims by American citizens for property damages and losses suffered during the War of 1812 such as claims for confiscated ships and cargo and compensation for damaged or seized property. The treaty created a joint commission to review and award compensation to U.S. citizens using funds Britain had agreed to pay. This settled international disputes peacefully, U.S. citizens received long-awaited compensation, showed positive diplomacy, strengthened U.S.-Britain relations. Even though it took a long time to get finalized, that isn’t Adams' fault. Overall it was a strong diplomatic win and helped compensate citizens for the losses they sustained from the war in a peaceful way while the only major argument against its success being time it took not even being Adam's fault.) - MFN [Most Favored Nation] Expansion - {*1827*} - (Was an expansion of the MFN system under Adam’s where more European nations were brought into the system. It promoted neutral and non-discriminatory trade and ensured the U.S. got the same favorable treatment that other countries received in European markets. It expanded the U.S network of trade partners especially in post-Napoleonic Europe which was a time with shifting alliances and trade blocs. Promoted the U.S. as a stable trade partner. Helped boost American exports encouraging economic growth.  The only knock would be it can reduce bargaining flexibility which is a small price to pay for the benefits. Overall the diplomatic, neutral and non-discriminatory trade aspects along with the economic upside tower over any of the very minor concerns.) - The Treaty of Limits - {*1828*} - (A treaty between Mexico and the U.S. which reaffirmed the U.S.-Mexico boundary as defined in the 1819 Adams-Onís Treaty with Spain, effectively extended existing U.S. treaty obligations from Spain to the newly independent Mexican government, recognized the Sabine River as the eastern boundary of Mexican Texas, and it signified the first formal treaty between the U.S. and Mexico. It maintained peace and avoided conflict with a new neighbor in Mexico which had only won independence in 1821, it confirmed territorial boundaries through diplomacy, and solidified formal diplomatic relations with Mexico. Many expansionists were upset we didn’t pursue Texas via the treaty and Manifest Destiny which in my eyes is a great thing we didn’t. Overall it was a great treaty that started relations with a neighbor and set key boundaries while not losing anything at all.) - Vision for Internal Improvements - {*1825-1829*} - (From the beginning of his presidency Adam’s proposed ambitious national agenda. He believed the federal government should play a key role in developing the country's infrastructure promoting science and education. He proposed things such as a National Road expansion to improve overland transportation and commerce, a National University to advance higher education and unify intellectual leadership, a Naval Academy to train officers and modernize maritime defense, Federal Funding for roads, canals, and infrastructure like the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, and a National astronomical observatory which he called a “lighthouse of the skies”. None of these happened due to resistance from Jacksonian and southern states who argued it exceeded the federal government's constitutional authority, favored the North due to most of the projects being built there, and it was too “elitist” or too academic. As a result most of his proposals were blocked by Congress. He was a visionary and ahead of his time and his ideas would have helped the U.S. modernize and develop far earlier. - **Slightly Good:** - The Panama Congress - {*1825-1826*} - (A meeting of nations of the Western Hemisphere. Simón Bolívar invited nations to the Congress of Panama, a summit for newly independent Latin American republics [Colombia, Peru, Mexico, etc.], goals were to promote republican solidarity, coordinate mutual defense against European intervention, and discuss anti-slavery policies and commercialism treaties, Adam’s supported the mission and convinced Congress after bitter debate to send U.S. representatives. Problem was that Southern congressmen opposed it strongly because many Latin American countries had abolished slavery. They feared U.S. delegates would be forced to discuss slavery or appear supportive of abolitionist regimes which threatened Southern interests. As a result of this Congress delayed funding the mission so long that by the time the U.S. delegation left, the conference was essentially over, the U.S. arrived too late to meaningfully participate, becoming a symbol of sectional division and congressional obstruction, rather than a successful diplomatic mission.) - Economy - {*1825-1829*} - (Adam’s economy was generally stable during his presidency but wasn’t particularly strong or transformative. Post-Panic Recovery was good thanks in part to the Second Bank regaining control over credit and currency. Trade Expansion with the MFN expansion helped exports and relations with European markets. The West Indies Tarde Closure hurt American merchants and having a lack of congressional support stopped him from achieving greater heights economically. Overall it was a solid and steady economy, but nothing staggering or surprising. - **Neutral/Mixed:** - **Slightly Bad:** - The Corrupt Bargain - {*1824*} - (One of the most controversial outcomes in presidential history which wasn’t a formal crime or “scandal” but looked very bad on the part of John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay. For context there were 4 major candidates in the 1824 election, Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, William Crawford, and Henry Clay and when the election results came in no candidate won a majority in the Electoral College though Jackson had the most popular & electoral votes but not enough to win outright. The 12th amendment sent the decision to the House of Representatives where only the top three finishers were considered, which was Jackson, Adams, and Crawford. Henry Clay who was 4th place and thus eliminated used his influence as Speaker of the House to rally support for Adams. Adams was then elected president by the House and soon after he was elected he appointed Henry Clay as Secretary of State which was at the time the position most often seen as and used as a stepping stone to the presidency with at the time 4 of the 6 presidents having been a Secretary of State [Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and John Quincy Adams]. The two that weren’t were Washington who was the 1st president and his Vice President John Adams Though it was legal and completely constitutional, Jackson was the most popular candidate and had the most electoral votes and overall votes, and then appointing Clay made it look like corruption. It was branded The Corrupt Bargain by Jackson and his supporters and also hit Adams’s legitimacy in many people's eyes. Overall a bit murky and risky by Adams and undermined trust, though it was completely fair and not illegal.)  - Closure of American Ports to British Ships from the British West Indies - {*1827*} - The United States closed its ports to British ships from the British West Indies [Caribbean Colonies] in retaliation for Britain continuing to restrict American access to those ports. For context, since the American Revolution trade with the British West Indies had been a major point of tension, The Navigation Acts and later British policies only allowed British ships to carry goods to/from the Caribbean, excluding Americans or heavily regulating them. Under Monroe the U.S. had tried to negotiate access and the British made some changes, but not enough. As president Adams tried to open the ports through diplomatic means but Britain remained firm. Eventually Adams decided enough was enough and closed American ports to their ships from the West Indies entirely in retaliation. It did assert U.S. trade rights and refusal to accept British mercantilist bullying. The problem was it hurt American merchants especially in New England who relied on Caribbean trade, escalated tensions and made trade worse, you can argue whether it's correct or not but he refused to make a political compromise when having the chance to soften restrictions instead insisting on full and equal access. This also hurt him politically as Jacksonians used it to attack Adams portraying him as a failed diplomat. Overall I believe his intentions were good and I agree with the idea, but the problem was we had no leverage to make demands like this at the time and as a result the policy was self-destructive economically, politically, and in his stubbornness.) - Tariff of Abominations - {*1828*} - (A very controversial law that had short term economic benefits, but in the long-term was politically and sectional damaging. It raised import taxes sharply on textiles, iron, hemp, wool, and other manufactured goods, designed to protect northern manufacturers from cheaper British imports, southern planters who exported cotton and important goods faced higher prices and saw no benefit so it became known as the tariff of abominations in the South especially South Carolina. Economically it was good in the North but it infuriated the South due to imported goods being more expensive and many fearing it would see precedent for federal power over states, it deepened sectional tensions between the North and South, even Adam’s didn’t love the tariff. The bill was heavily modified by Jacksonian in congress who wanted to create a poison pill by loading the bill with extreme tariff hikes in hopes that it would hurt Adam’s a ton especially with the election coming up shortly after and Jackson being his opponent. It forced Adam’s into a lose-lose since if he signs the bill he alienates the South and if he vetoes it he would anger Northern manufacturers and seem weak on protectionism. Overall the divide caused by the tariff outweighs any economic benefits and the nature of the Jacksonian sabotage means that for me it hurts Adams less than it otherwise would have.) - **Bad:** ###### **Conclusion:** A super intelligent forward thinker with huge plans but didn’t get the chance to execute them due to being a bit stubborn and having to deal with the Jacksonians. At his best he had a solid foreign trade policy with things like the expansion of the MFN, The Treaty of Limits, and his Resolution of War Damages for the War of 1812. He also had a strong belief and attempted many pieces of legislation in the internal infrastructure, scientific, educational, and Astrological which was ahead of his time. At his worst he had a rough controversy about his winning the 1824 election, had the tariff of abominations (not all his fault), and his worst piece was closing U.S. ports to British West Indies ships.  ###### **Final Rating:** **7/10**