Talk:John Quincy Adams

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A totally bogus quote has been added to this article more than once: "Galloping around the cosmos is a game for the young." This is actually a quote of the character James T. Kirk in the Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, and so far as I am aware has nothing to do with John Quincy Adams. ~ Kalki 02:00, 23 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Bogus quotes[edit]

The first of these quotes is attributed to Adams in The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades) (1995) by Robert Spencer, and the other might be at some other places on the internet, but actually are from a tract in The American Annual Register (1830) by Joseph Blunt, Ch. X, in a section entitled "Christianity contrasted with Islamism", p. 269

  • And he [Jesus] declared, that the enjoyment of felicity in the world hereafter, would be reward of the practice of benevolence here. His whole law was resolvable into the precept of love; peace on earth – good will toward man, was the early object of his mission; and the authoritative demonstration of the immortality of man, was that, which constituted the more than earthly tribute of glory to God in the highest… The first conquest of the religion of Jesus, was over the unsocial passions of his disciples. It elevated the standard of the human character in the scale of existence…On the Christian system of morals, man is an immortal spirit, confined for a short space of time, in an earthly tabernacle. Kindness to his fellow mortals embraces the whole compass of his duties upon earth, and the whole promise of happiness to his spirit hereafter. THE ESSENCE OF THIS DOCTRINE IS, TO EXALT THE SPIRITUAL OVER THE BRUTAL PART OF HIS NATURE."


  • In the seventh century of the Christian era, a wandering Arab of the lineage of Hagar [i.e., Muhammad], the Egyptian, combining the powers of transcendent genius, with the preternatural energy of a fanatic, and the fraudulent spirit of an impostor, proclaimed himself as a messenger from Heaven, and spread desolation and delusion over an extensive portion of the earth. Adopting from the sublime conception of the Mosaic law, the doctrine of one omnipotent God; he connected indissolubly with it, the audacious falsehood, that he was himself his prophet and apostle. Adopting from the new Revelation of Jesus, the faith and hope of immortal life, and of future retribution, he humbled it to the dust by adapting all the rewards and sanctions of his religion to the gratification of the sexual passion. He poisoned the sources of human felicity at the fountain, by degrading the condition of the female sex, and the allowance of polygamy; and he declared undistinguishing and exterminating war, as a part of his religion, against all the rest of mankind. THE ESSENCE OF HIS DOCTRINE WAS VIOLENCE AND LUST: TO EXALT THE BRUTAL OVER THE SPIRITUAL PART OF HUMAN NATURE (Adam's capital letters)….Between these two religions, thus contrasted in their characters, a war of twelve hundred years has already raged. The war is yet flagrant…While the merciless and dissolute dogmas of the false prophet shall furnish motives to human action, there can never be peace upon earth, and good will towards men.


I removed a dead link from these and provided actual sourcing — as at least one of these has actually been misattributed to JQA in print i might move that one back, into a misattributed section eventually. I have just a short time to check on a few things here right now — I must leave again and will probably be very busy with other things for a few hours. ~ Kalki (talk · contributions) 17:07, 17 November 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I tried to research the thread a bit. It appears that some (e.g.Andrew G. Bostom, Lynn Hudson Parsons) are claiming that Blunt merely published JQA's essays, and hence, that this came from JQA... jgo

I'd like some clarification/confirmation on a quote I found on another site, purportedly said by Adams:
  • "Who can feel sympathy for Desdemona? A woman who, born and educated to a splendid and lofty station in the community, betrays her race, her sex, her duty and her country, and makes a runaway match with a blackamoor."
Is this quote genuine? Was it actually said by Adams? Thanks! Illegitimate Barrister (talk) 22:45, 17 August 2013 (UTC)[reply]

As quoted in[edit]

This has two quoted sources, but no context, so I felt more comfortable moving here until it is verified:

  • Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.
    • As quoted in Pocket Patriot : Quotes From American Heroes (2005) edited by Kelly Nickell
    • As quoted in: "American Prohibition Year Book, Volumes 10-12" (Lincoln Temperance Press, 1910), p. 111