Adams, SAMUEL

Adams, SAMUEL, American statesman, was born at Boston, U.S., September 27, 1722, and graduated at Harvard. He was destined for the Congregationalist ministry, but by his father's misfortunes was obliged to engage in business, which he presently exchanged for a collectorship of taxes. He displayed on all occasions an unflinching zeal for popular rights, and in 1765 was elected by the patriotic party a member of the Massachusetts legislature. He played a prominent part as deputy of his native state in the Philadelphia congress, and signed the Declaration of Independence (1776). He took an active share in framing the constitution of Massachusetts, and was for several years president of its senate. He held the office of its lieutenant-governor from 1789 to 1794, and of governor from that time till 1797. He then retired from public life, and died at Boston, October 2, 1802, poor as he had lived. Adams was somewhat narrow-minded and bigoted, both in religion and politics. He was prejudiced against Washington, whose conduct of the war his ignorance of military matters led him to think weak and dilatory. In 1776 he anticipated Napoleon by applying the term, 'a nation of shopkeepers,' to the English. See his Life, by Wells (3 vols. Bost. 1865), and Morse (Bost. 1884).