JOHN QUINCY ADAMS
AUTHORIZES CERTAIN SELECTED NEWSPAPERS TO PRINT THE ACTS OF CONGRESS
ADAMS, JOHN QUINCY. (1767-1848). Sixth President of the United States (1825-1829), who spent 50 years of his life in public office. Printed Document Signed, “J.Q. Adams”, as Secretary of State, on Department of State letterhead. One full page, large quarto. Washington, D.C., December 6, 1819. Very fine condition. To “Messrs. Ide and Aldrich, Editors of the Vermont Republican and American Yeoman, Windsor, Vermont”, which bears a full franking signature of Adams, and is stamped ‘FREE’. The document states:
“Gentlemen, Your Newspaper has been selected as one among the number designated for publishing the Acts, Resolutions, Treaties, &c. which may be approved and ratified during the First Session of the Sixteenth Congress…”
The manuscript continues to outline the terms of the agreement between the Department of State and the Vermont Republican newspaper, including the payment to be received upon each publication, “at the rate of one dollar per page”. The newspaper is instructed to take care to avoid mistakes when printing the acts and is provided a pamphlet from the State detailing the items as they are approved. During the first session of the 16th Congress, which lasted from December 6, 1819 to May 15, 1820, Henry Clay was elected and sworn in as Speaker of the House of Representatives. Other benchmarks included Alabama’s induction into the country as an independent state and the proposals that Maine and Missouri become states as well. An important bill was also introduced, prohibiting further extension of slavery into the United States.
In 1817, Adams was appointed Secretary of State in the Cabinet of President James Monroe. During his tenure in office, Adams was responsible for contributing much to the United States, including the addition of Florida to the Union. Florida had been a colony of Spain, whose administration of the territory was severely lacking. As a result, Adams persuaded Spain to cede Florida to the U.S., which they did after heavy negotiations. During those same discussions, Adams convinced Spain to agree the Louisiana Territory’s boundaries went as far west as the Pacific Ocean, enabling the U.S. to continue its sea-to-sea expansion. Probably the most important event Adams had a hand in was the development of the Monroe Doctrine. He believed no country, European or Asian, should be allowed to colonize in the United States; as a result, he pushed President Monroe to adopt a policy making it official. Thus, the Monroe Doctrine was born, keeping the U.S. in control of all its territories and ensuring foreign powers would have no ability to acquire U.S. land.
$3000.00
