John Q. Adams Administration - Post-presidential Years
Post-presidential Years
Adams left the White House in 1829 with the intention of retiring to his ancestral home in Quincy, Massachusetts, to pursue literary interests. In 1830, however, the citizens of Quincy convinced Adams to run for the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served with distinction from 1831 until his death in 1848. Adams received the nickname "Old Man Eloquent" for his speeches before the House. His crowning achievement was in orchestrating opposition to the "gag rules" that prevented antislavery petitions from being read on the floor of the House. Adams believed the rules violated the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which protects freedom of speech and the right to petition the government. After eight years, the House discarded the "gag rules" in 1844.
In 1848 Adams suffered a stroke and collapsed on the House floor. He was carried to the Speaker's room to lay for two days until he died on...
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