Unfortunately (for voters who can't tell the difference) what a politician does means more than what he says.
John Q Adams was in favor of a national bank (the ancestor if the federal reserve,) supported massive (at the time) expenditures to benefit private interests at taxpayer expense, and supported the Tariff of 1828, known as the Tariff of Abominations. That is, Adams opposed free trade as much as any president could at the time.
The major goal of the tariff was to benefit industries in the northern United States which were being driven out of business by low-priced imported goods. (Yes, too big to fail has existed for as long as corrupt politicians and other whores.) The South, however, was harmed directly by having to pay higher prices on goods the region did not produce, and indirectly because reducing the exportation of British goods to the US made it difficult for the British to pay for the cotton they imported from the South. The reaction in the South, particularly in South Carolina, would lead to the Nullification Crisis that began in late 1832.
The tariff marked the high point of US tariffs.
That tariff promoted the mistrust by people in the south of the federal government that punished them to provide corporate welfare for industry in the north. It created the rift between the states that ruptured with Lincoln's election in 1860 on a platform of northern industry protectionism.
To quote Lincoln's own writing:
"I was an old Henry Clay-Tariff Whig. In old times I made more speeches on that subject than any other. I have not since changed my views"

JQ Adams was a big government looter extraordinaire.
If John Q was POTUS today, he would likely do what his banker pals told him to do and nothing much would change.

"It would be a surprise if most politicians today have even read it." Hell, it would be a surprise if politicians today even read the Constitution, let alone a John Quincy Adams quote. Adams' attitude is a reflection of his times. America was founded on the principles of freedom of which self-reliance is an integral part. Europe was the heir to monarchy, which created a desire to be protected not only from enemies, but from the difficulties of independence. The 20th century had slowly, but with increasing swiftness, been turning America into Europe, while parts of Europe are struggling to become more like America was.

I am dismayed to learn about his deeds. His _words_ however ring true and are a marvel of what it is balm to hear today. Perhaps we may take the words out of context of the man who spoke them and value them for themselves.

Jan

now, this is someone who knew the U.S. as founded,
and THAT is the country which we miss around here! -- j

p.s. and then, I read the history from freedomforall ...
such is the frequent gulf between words and deeds;;;
we see that every day in the news. we should run
stargeezer for president and khalling for vp!!! or
vice versa!!!!

Wow, what a difference from his time to ours. Thanks for posting. +1

Great message. I linked it to Facebook.

At least Adams is long gone. We currently have another POS POTUS who keeps moving his lips.

As every competent American numismatist knows, the US Mint purchased the indenture of John Matthias Reich.

"It was March of 1807 before the fourth Mint Director, Robert Patterson, finally hired the German-born John Reich as Assistant Engraver. Born in Fuerth, Bavaria in 1768, this talented die cutter arrived in America as an indentured immigrant and settled in Philadelphia about 1800. Reich sought employment at the Mint in 1801, and although he was unable to secure a permanent position, an unidentified officer of the institution recognized his talents and generously purchased his freedom. Although the infant Mint had suffered since 1792 from a shortage of qualified engravers and mechanics (and Reich was certainly qualified), Patterson's predecessor, Elias Boudinot, preferred delaying an offer of a permanent position to Reich until, as he wrote in a letter to President Thomas Jefferson, ". . . I have good evidence of his character." A more likely reason was Boudinot's reluctance to offend the aging and professionally mediocre Chief Engraver Robert Scot." -- http://www.libertynickels.org/other.php?...

(Walter Breen suggested that the indenture was purchased by Chief Coiner Henry Voigt.)

John Quincy Adams firmly advocated free trade.
"The removal of discriminating duties of tonnage and of impost is limited to articles of the growth, produce, or manufacture of the country to which the vessel belongs or to such articles as are most usually first shipped from her ports. It will deserve the serious consideration of Congress whether even this remnant of restriction may not be safely abandoned, and whether the general tender of equal competition made in the act of 1824-01-08, may not be extended to include all articles of merchandise not prohibited, of what country so ever they may be the produce or manufacture. Propositions of this effect have already been made to us by more than one European Government, and it is probable that if once established by legislation or compact with any distinguished maritime state it would recommend itself by the experience of its advantages to the general accession of all."

John Quincy Adams also called for expanded executive powers, an expanded judiciary, extended patent rights to inventors, and the construction of astronomical observatories, which he called "light houses to the skies."
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index....