Quincy Josiah

Quincy, Josiah (1772-1864), an American statesman, born at Boston, was elected to Congress in 1804, and became one of the chief orators of the Federal party. He denounced slavery and opposed the admission of the western states into the Union. After 1812 he retired from Congress, but took part in the affairs of Massachusetts, and was for five years mayor of Boston. He was also president of Harvard University from 1829 to 1845, and wrote a history of the university and of Boston, as well as lives of his father and of John Quincy Adams.