As a daughter of the United States ambassador to Ethiopia, Beatrice Cayzer has always been deeply troubled by slavery existing anywhere. Her roots to the Adams-Fairbanks family enflamed this interest when she learned that both Louisa and John Quincy Adams had such a great part in ending slavery in the United States. When President Carlos Arroyo del Rio was in exile, Beatrice lived with Dona Elena de Arroyo del Rio, the First Lady of Ecuador, thereby gaining an insight into the latter years of a President being out of office.


In this book, Beatrice takes you on a journey to the countries where John Quincy Adams served as Ambassador, then on to his negotiating treaties and entering a political life and his entrance into the turmoil of Washington politics.