QUINCY
QUINCY
dential mission to London in behalf of the patriot
colonies. He arrived at London, Nov. 16, 1774,
and had conferences with Dr. Franklin, Jonathan
Williams. Jr.. Lord North and Lord Dartmouth.
In his appeal for justice he was sustained by
Lords Chatham and Selden, and his influence in
the British councils was apparent. His healtli
again failed, and in obedience to the wishes of his
political friends, but contrary to the advice of
his physician, he set sail for America, March 16,
1775. After being live weeks at sea, and when
the ship was three days from land, he dictated a
farewell letter to his family and nearest friends.
He is the author of the articles signed *• Hyperion "
(1767), and " Tertius and Nubibus," '"Edward
Sexby." and •' Marchmont Nedham" in Edes and
Gill's Gazette (1774-75); Draught of Instructions
to the Boston Representatives in May, 177-', and
Report of a Committee Chosen by the Inhabitants
of Petersham, 4th January, 1773 (1773); Observa-
tions on the Act of Parliament commonly called
the Boston Port Bill, icith Tlioughts on Civil
Society and Standing Armies (1774). He died on
shipboard within sight of Boston, April 26, 1775.
QULNCY, Josiah, statesman, was born in
Boston, Mass.. Feb. 4, 1772 ; son of Josiah and
Abigail (Phillips) Quincy. He attended Phillips
Andover academy, 1778-87, and was graduated
from Harvard, A. B., 1790, A.M., 1793. He studied
law under Col. "Wil-
liam Tudor of Boston ;
was admitted to the
bar in 1793, and prac-
tised in Boston. He
was married, June 6,
1797, to Eliza Susan, daughter of John and Maria Sophia (Kem- per) Morton. In
1798, when the nds- understanding be- tween France and the United States had reached a point where armed resist- ance seemed the only
alternative left to the American people, Quincy delivered the 4th of July oration in the Old South church, which gave him the Federalist nomination for representative in the 7th con- gress in 1800. He was defeated by Dr. Wil- liam Eustis, the anti-Federal candidate, after an exciting contest. He was a state senator, 1804-05 ; a representative in the 9th-13th con- gresses, 180.5-15, and while in congress spoke and voted against the embargo act. the war with Great Britain and the admission of Louisiana as a stat«. A committee of the house proposed a law prohibiting the slave trade after Dec. 31, 1807,
and providing, among other penalties, that al
Negroes imported after that date, should be for-
feited by traders violatijig this law. The anti-
slavery members of congress Siiw the danger of
committing the government to the policy of the
slave holders who maintained their right to hold
and sell men as property, and it was therefore
moved tiiat the words " entitled to his or lier
freedom" be substituted for "forfeited." Mr.
Quincy at fii-st opposed the clianging of the bill,
holding that only by forfeiture could the govern-
ment get control of the Negroes and so dispose of
them in a manner for their own interest, but
when it came to the passage of the bill, he sup-
ported the reconxmittal on the grounds that he
could not consent to an action which should allow
the sale of Negroes by the government. On Jan.
14, 1811, ha delivered his famous speech on the
admission of Louisiana, in which he stated that
if the bill were passed, the bonds of the Union
would be dissolved, and that the states that
originally composed it would be free from their
moral obligation and would not be bound to
maintain a Union with the proposed new states.
He held that this new territory could be absorbed
by a vote of the people, but not by that of a pass-
ing congress. He believed that the purchase of
Louisiana — in view of the designs of Napoleon
and the advantage of a free ojiening of the Missis-
sippi — would be accepted by the United States as
an addition to its possessions. But he clearly
foresaw the disasters that threatened the nation
by the precedent established by this unconstitu-
tional act, which gave congress the authority to
multiply slave states without tlie consent of the
people, and made slavery national and freedom
sectional ; prophesying that it would finally
deluge the country with fratricidal blood. He
opposed the declaration of war with England in
1812, but upon the issuing of the proclamation
he supported the government. During his last
session in congress he delivered speeches against
the enlistment of minors and against the pro-
posed invasion of Canada. He declined re-elec-
tion in 1814.; was a member of the state house of
representatives, 1815-23 ; a member of the state
constitutional convention of 1820, and speaker of
the house in 1821. In December, 1822, he was
elected mayor of the city of Boston to succeed
John Phillips, May 1, 1823 ; and in this office,
1823-28, introduced reforms that completely re-
constructed the city department. He established
the first house of correction in Boston ; a house
of reformation for juvenile offenders, and re-
organized the police force and the fire depart-
ment During his administration the Faneuil
Hall Market was erected and the corner-stone of
Bunker Hill monument was laid by General
Lafayette, with Daniel Webster as orator, June