The occasion called forth from John Adams a “Dissertation on the Canon and Feudal Laws,”—­a work, which although it was of a general character in regard to government, yet manifested democratic sentiments unusual in those times, and indicated that republican institutions were the proper institutions for the American People.

The resistance to the stamp act throughout the Colonies procured its repeal in 1766.  But the British Government accompanied the repeal with an ungracious declaratory act, by which they asserted “that the Parliament had, and of right ought to have, power to bind the Colonies, in all cases whatsoever.”  In the next year a law was passed, which imposed duties in the Colonies, on glass, paper, paints, and tea.  The spirit of insubordination manifested itself throughout the Colonies, and, inasmuch as it radiated from Boston, British ships of war were stationed in its harbor, and two regiments of British troops were thrown in the town, to compel obedience.  John Adams had now become known as the most intrepid, zealous, and indefatigable opposer of British usurpation.  The Crown tried upon him in vain the royal arts so successful on the other side of the Atlantic.  The Governor and Council offered him the place of Advocate General in the Court of Admiralty, an office of great value; he declined it, “decidedly, peremptorily, but respectfully.”

At this interesting crisis, John Quincy Adams was born, at Quincy, on the 11th of July, 1767.  A lesson, full of instruction concerning the mingled influences of piety and patriotism in New England, at that time, is furnished to us by the education of the younger Adams.  Nor can we fail to notice that each of those virtues retained its relative power over him, throughout his long and eventful life.  He was brought into the church and baptized on the day after that on which he was born.

John Quincy Adams, in one of his letters, thus mentions the circumstances of his baptism: 

“The house at Mount Wollaston has a peculiar interest to me, as the dwelling of my great-grandfather, whose name I bear.  The incident which gave rise to this circumstance is not without its moral to my heart.  He was dying, when I was baptized; and his daughter, my grandmother, present at my birth, requested that I might receive his name.  The fact, recorded by my father at the time, has connected with that portion of my name, a charm of mingled sensibility and devotion.  It was filial tenderness that gave the name.  It was the name of one passing from earth to immortality.  These have been among the strongest links of my attachment to the name of Quincy, and have been to me, through life, a perpetual admonition to do nothing unworthy of it.”