Adams, John (1735-1826), the second president of the United States. Born at Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts, October 19, 1735. Graduate of Harvard, 1755. Admitted to the bar, 1758. Adams represented Massachusetts in the first Continental Congress, 1774. The following quotation from a letter written by him at this time gave the keynote of Webster's supposed speech of John Adams: "The die is now cast; I have passed the Rubicon. Sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish with my country, is my unalterable determination." In May, 1776, he moved the resolution that the colony "should assume the duty of self-government." In June he seconded Richard Henry Lee's resolution that the United States "are, and of right, ought to be, free and independent." Mr. Adams was one of a committee of five appointed to draw up the Declaration of Independence. He was Minister to France, 1778-1779. With Franklin and Jay he negotiated the treaty of peace with Great Britain. He was minister to England, 1785-1788. Schoulder, the historian, calls Adams a "burly, round-faced, bald-headed, irascible man." During Washington's term as president Adams served as vice-president. He was chosen by the Federalists to succeed Washington, but failed of reelection. Mr. Adams then retired from public life to a large estate at Quincy, Massachusetts, where he interested himself in agriculture. He died July 4, 1826, on the same day as Thomas Jefferson. Abigail Adams, the wife of John Adams, was one of the famous women of the White House. During her residence in Paris with her husband she wrote notes on French society that gave no little offense to the French people.