French school. In the Continental Congress, contrasted with English
royalists and conservatives Mr. Adams himself appeared an extremist,
as later on, under the same law of contrast, he appeared
conservative when those who were sometimes denounced as "Jacobins"
and "Levellers" were fond of denouncing him as a disguised royalist.

Prior to his administration as President, he had served as
commissioner to the court of France, "Minister Plenipotentiary for
the Purpose of Negotiating a Treaty of Peace and Commerce with Great
Britain"; commissioner to conclude a treaty with the States-General
of Holland; minister to England after the conclusion of peace, and
finally as Vice-President under Washington. His services in every
capacity in which he was engaged for his country showed his great
ability and zeal: but in the struggle over the Alien and Sedition
Laws his opponents gave him no quarter and when he retired from the
Presidency it was with the feeling, shared to some extent by his
great opponent Jefferson, that republics never have a proper regard
for the services and sacrifices of statesmen, though they are only
too ready to reward military heroes beyond their deserts. The author
of 'Familiar Letters on Public Affairs' writes of Mr. Adams:--

"He was a man of strong mind, great learning, and eminent ability to
use knowledge both in speech and writing. He was ever a firm
believer in Christianity, not from habit and example but from a
diligent investigation of its proofs. He had an uncompromising
regard for his own opinion and was strongly contrasted with
Washington in this respect. He seemed to have supposed that his
opinions could not have been corrected by those of other men or
bettered by any comparison."