Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1837-06-20
FROM J. @. ADAMS.
WASHINGTON, March 90, 1887.

From the Quincy Patriot.
LETTER FROM J. @. ADAMS.
WAsHINGToN, March 90, 1887.
To the inhabitants Of the Tpelhh Congression-
al DiStrict Of Massachusetts.
Fello,o CuizenS: In my preceding address
ses have spread before you the fifteen sue
cessive resolutions, the result OF the whole
combined slave craftsmanship of the House OF
Representatives of the U. s., all having one
and the same purpose OF passing vote OF GEN.
sure upon me, for asking in the discharge Of
my duty as member, a question OF the Speak
or.
The two resolutions upon which they had
finally forced vote of the House, by yeas
and nays, were rejected, but my question was
not answered, and they were aware that il
could not be answered negatively. 1t had not
been, whether the House would receive petit
lion from slaves, but whether n petition from
slaves came within the resolution Of the 18th
of January. When the resolution declaring
that / had trjfed with the House was under
consideration, one of the most prominent allie
cations laid TO my charge was, that by asking
tho question had intended indirectly to cast
'ldicule upon that resolution and upon the
House for adopting it. Nor was this entirely
without foundation. did not intend 10 cast
ridicule upon the House, but to expose the abb
surdity Of that resolution against which | had
protested as unconstitutional and unjust. But
the characteristic popularity Of this charge a
eainst me was, that while some Of the gentle
men of the South were urging the House TO
pass vote of censUre upon me, for distant
and coniectural inference of my intention TO
deride that resolution, others of them, in the
same debate, and on the same day, were
showerlng upon the same resolution direct ex-
pressions of unqualified contempt, without
even being called 10 order. Like the Saints in
Hudbras-
THE saints may do the same thing by
The Spirit, in sincerity,
Which other men prompted TO,
And at the DEVILS Instance do;
And yet TIE actions be contrary,
Just as the saints and wicked vary
So il was with the gentlemen Of the South.
While Mr.. Pckens could openly call the res.
olution Of the 18th Of January, miserable and
contemplate resolutions while Mr. Thompson
could say it was fit only 10 be burnt by the
hands Of the hangman, without rcbukc or re-
proof, was 10 be censured by the House for
casting ridicule upon them, by asking the
question whether the resolution included peti.
lions from slaves.
They were dissatisfied with the result Of their
crusade against me, in the vindctvc pursuit
OF which they had not only forgotten 10 an
swer my question, but even 10 obtain from the
House declaration denying the right Of slaves
TO petition. On Friday morning several OF
them were absent from their seats in the
House and mysterious givings out were circu-
lated that caucus meeting Of the South had
been held, in which grave proposals had been
made that they should secede in u body and 90
home. This was an old expedient tried be-
fore, some years since, and not without some
effect upon the simple good nature of the north.
Whnthpr if ron Ilv hrouuht fnrwn rI nj 10
time, cannot absolutely say but the rumors
were that a first and second meeting were held
at which the opinions expressed were found so
discordant, that it was finally concluded TO be
the wisest course TO return to their seats in the
House, and negotiate with the free represen-
iation Tor n reconsideration Of one Of the reject.
cd resolutions. The intcrposition of the Pres.
ident elect of the U. S. was also said TO have
been solicited and obtained, and there is au.
thorliy from his Southern adherents for the
assurance that il was exc cisod in q manner
altogether satisfactory to them. The sympa.
thies Of the wing members from the free states
were likewise Invoked, by their opposition as
socatef of the notification creed, and the
Pennsylvania delegation, who 10 a man haC
been found Inaccessible 20 the censora reso
luiions, were now many Of them coaxod into
compromise with the dark spirit OF slavery so
Indignantly and Justly characterized by iht
Governor of that state.
The gentlemen from the South had rung al
the changes Of their censorial resolutions ex.
clusively among themselves. The peace offer
ing 10 their wounded sensbilitics was 10 come
entirely from the representatives of lreemcn.-
The motion for reconsideration Of the first re-
iected resolution Of Mr. Patton, was made or
Friday evening by Mr. Lane, Of Indiana, ant
carried the next morning by the immediate ap
plicaon oflhe previous question. Even be-
fore this vote of reconsideration, Mr. Taylor o
N. York, and Mr. lngersoll of Fhadelphi
had asked leave Of The House TO offer resou
lions propitalory TO the anxieties and resent
meRts OF The gentlemen of the South The res
olution presented by Mr. Taylor deserves spe
cal attention, as il may be considered indicn
uVe OF the opinions and counsols The presen
President of the $. That Of Mr. Ingersol
as expressive Of the naturalization sentmont
prevailing at this lime in the city Of Philade
plla, and less intensely thro ghout the north
ofn part Of The Union. The first of these res
olu'ons wa offered by Mr. Taylor, and ih,
second by Mr. Inscrsoll, probably in concer
VITA MIR Thompson, o, S. Carolina, the move
of The first resolution OF censure upon me, ono
who fially accepted Mr. IngersolPs resolution
as substitute for his own.