Page:Lives of the presidents in words of one syllable (1903).djvu/56

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our land. In France he went to school and had a good chance to learn more tongues than his own. He was a good, bright lad, and did well in his work. When he came back he was still the sort of boy who had gone off some years since, and his heart beat just as strong for his dear old home and all in it.

Then he was made fit for Har-vard Col-lege, and got through there in 1787. He took up law, and at the same time wrote much for the press. It was thought that Mr. Ad-ams would be of use to us in lands o'er the sea, so he was sent to stand for our rights in Hol-land. From there he went to Port-u-gal and Prus-sia. He made much good will twixt this land and those lands, and when it was done he came home and took up law once more.

In 1797 John Quin-cy Ad-ams found a wife in Miss Lou-i-sa C. John-son, whose fa-ther was A-mer-i-can Con-sul at Lon-don.

He was sent to the Sen-ate in 1802 and did much to help the poor in the land by the stand he took on all bills put up by men who would get rich at the cost of those who could not help them-selves. There were some folks who made it hard for him in those days but he fought them all down.

In 1817 he had a call to be Sec-re-ta-ry of State and went to live in Wash-ing-ton. It was soon found that he was the right man in the right place and a great help to the new Pres-i-dent, James Mon-roe.

In 1825 John Quin-cy Ad-ams was made Pres-i-dent.

Then there were more men from whom to chose, so those who had a right to vote took sides. But the man who got the place did well and his rule was one of peace.