JAMES MONROE

APAS the fifth President of the United States. He was born in Westmoreland county, Virginia, April 28, 1728.

He was a graduate at William and Mary, but anxious to aid in the struggle for independence, he joined the army under General Mercer, as cadet, and soon distinguished himself in several well-fought battles, and rapid promotions followed, until he reached the rank of captain. At Harlem Heights and White Plains he shared the defeat and sufferings of Washington, through New Jersey; at Trenton he rejoiced in the triumph of our arms over the Hessians, and though severely wounded, carried the musket ball in his shoulder through the day and "fought out the fight." He was, afterwards, aid to Lord Sterling, with the rank of major, and if he earned for himself fame, it is very certain that he found no flowery path to tread. In the military service of those days, when the leaders of our battles and our national councils looked upon their country's peril with an anguish that words can never convey to this generation, and when their country's honor was something to them which we fear modern statesmen and soldiers can not understand, men worked with an energy and selfsacrificing spirit that made each one a host. At the bloody battles of Brandywine, Germantown and Monmouth, Monroe is said to have particularly distinguished himself for his bravery and courage; and by the coolness which he displayed. Ambitious to command a regiment of his own, he obtained a dismissal from the army, returned to Virginia, where he met so many discouraging obstacles that he gave it up, and resumed his law studies in the office of Mr. Jefferson.

In 1794 he went as Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of Versailles, and after settling the cession of Louisiana to the United States, he went to England to succeed Mr. King as Minister at the

Court of St. James. The little difficulty between the two countries in regard to the Chesapeake, placed him in so unpleasant a position that he returned home and was soon after chosen Governor of the State, in which office he remained until called by Mr. Madison to assume the duties of Secretary of State.

In 1817 he was elected President of the United States, and in 1821 was unanimously re-elected, with the exception of a single vote in New Hampshire. His entire administration was marked by peace, quiet and prosperity.

When the convention was called to revise the Constitution of the State of Virginia, he was chosen to preside over its action. Soon after he removed to New York City, where he remained until his death, which occurred July 4th, 1831, when amid the pealing of bells and the thundering of artillery that proclaimed the nation's jubilant rejoicing at the anniversary of independence, the angels whispered, "Come up higher."

JOHN QUINCY ADAMS,

setts.

IXTH President of the United States, was born in Quincy, Massachusetts, May 11th, 1767, graduated at Harvard College, and became a law student in the office of Hon. Theophilus Parsons, for many years Chief Justice of MassachuHis literary tastes gained him considerable attention, and some of his essays are commended as excellent. Under Washington's administration he was appointed minister to the Netherlands, and afterwards to Portugal. He was, at different periods, minister to Prussia, Russia and England, and was one of the commissioners who negotiated the treaty of peace with Great Britain, at Ghent.

During Mr. Monroe's entire administration of eight years, he held the office of Secretary of State, after which he was elected President of the United States by the House of Representatives, the people failing to make a choice. Like his father, he met very strong opposition from the political party then coming into power, and his service ended with one term-being defeated in re-election by Gen. Jackson. Soon after he was chosen representative in Congress, and was re-chosen at each successive election until his death.

Two days previous to his decease, while at his duties in the House, he received a paralytic stroke, from which he never recovered his consciousness. Mr. Adams was a man of fine intellect and great endowments; his mind was cultivated and enriched to a high degree. The government lost, in him, one of its brightest

ornaments.