Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-04-05

Adams, as an lnQlVluudt' was VIC uost uu-
popular man IN Congress, though at times
exerting more personal influence over
particular question, than any man in it. |
He belonged to neither. party, and was |
viewed with about equal jealousy and dis |
like by both. In the exercise Of his duty,
as he understood it, unlike all the other
Northern members, who sent their Adolf
ton petitions to the Speakers Chair in ST.
lence and by the wholesale, Mr.. Adams
presented the petitions sent TO him one by
one, and in every one appealed from the
decision Of the Speaker, though not more
than dozen or. twenty Joined him in the
appeal. Members who had petitions on
other subjects felt as if they were deprived
Of theright Of presenting them, each pc
tition day being expended not by the
speeches Of Mr.. Adams, who himself did
not occupy more than an hour or less,
but bS the discussions which grew out of
the questions raised.
Uuder these circumstances the South
ern Nullifers had all the sympatbies of
the House with them when they attempt
ed to suppress free discussion forever, by
censuring Mr.. John Quincy Adams
They were so sure Of doing it, that their
only eagerness was in what manner they
should kill him. so as to be sure he was
dead, but in the sequel, they found them
selves powerless The tables were turned
upon them the argument Of this most
unpopular man in Congress was more
powerful than all the fervid eloquence Of
| he nd ,ho,o . oI h,,kc
out Of 242 members were found who
would sustain the ultra doctrines of the
South. The ultras found themselves alone,
the cooler men Of the South having utter
ly refused to 60 with them.
This was a rebuke they had not calcu-
lated upon, and it was followed by an at
tempt to promote disunion. A handbiIl
, was circulated the next morning in the
House, headed Disunion," and inviting
, the Southern members TO retire from Con-
gress. A meeting was called for that pur-
pose, and as it happened to be held in the
Committee room where the writer of this
was occupied, he was involuntarily wit
, ness of apart Of the proceedings. 1t was
a small meeting, not over thirty gentle
men being present, majority of the
Representatives from the slave states de-
clining to appear in meeting where dis,
union was even to be limited at. This
i convinced the Thompsons and Pickenses
! of their weakness. They were divided
among themselves. Something was said
4 about going home. but it met no response
Even in that meeting there were cool men
! enough not to permit any measure to pass
that even looked at disunion, and the re
suit Of the whole was the adoption of the
following resolution:
Resolved, That we will support re
consideration of the vote rejecting tn,
resolutions offered by the Hon Mr.. Patol
of Virginia"
% This was the mildest torn in whicl
the Question had been put in the House
Mr.. Paton's resolutions did not censur
Mr.. Adams, but simply denied the right Q
petition OF slaves.
= The adoption OF this mild measure b
the Southern members, which shows HOY
- impossible it is for them ever to agree OF
r. disunion among themselves, was not 70
IS, lowed by threats, but by entreaties. I'll
al, Wings of the South, by an understandin
al to that effect, went to the Wings Of tn
al North, and entreated them to do som,
thing to relieve them with their constitr
ents from the effects of the vote of the da
before, which seemed to assert the rigl
M of slaves to petition for emancipation
. The administration. men, Of the Sout
v, made the same entreaties to the admin
to tration men of the North. Their reques
dy prevailed where their threats had faile
Ia Mr.. lngersoll of Pennsylvania, on II
part of the Northern Wings, and Nj
i'd Carter Of New Y ork, on the part of II
ng administration men Of the North, we
IN selected to offer resolutions in the abstrac
Tic dlsclalmlng any constitutional right
red slaves to petition, An attempt was ma,
vii by Pickens of South Carolina 10 prove
nth this compromise, and to widen the brea,
I'M for the dlsunion he and his associates q
he seeking for. But in vain. He was D
On down and scathed by Mr. Vanderpool
ere Newly DIRK, till he had not word to bri,
AG forth, even from the furnace Of his IL
ar quenchable wrath, and he was left star
Old ing all alone, by the South. Not a sla,
lar holder stood by him. The resolutio
en- eonceding no principle. passed aim,
He unanimously, and the South were reliey
gs from a painful dilemma, with lesson
on sober reflection taught them, which tn
> q will not soon forget. 1t was alesson
and union and patriotism, and the cool 10
ND among them deserve the thanks of
CE country, for their patriotic resistance
heir violence among themselves, and tn
steady devotion to the Union.
s all y No man who Witnessed that scene, q
~ Of scanned it well. can fear for the Union
ecu There are, no tongues, and no pens t