The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1842-02-22

Mr.. Adams, which must have been of intense
interest, is from the pen of the correspondent
of the New York American.
Mr.. Adams then rose, and spoke till the at
iournment, retaining the floor for tomorrow
Of the magnificent scene that opened on our
admiring and awe struck eyes during those TWO
glorious hours, report or description seems I'm
possible. The pen almost drops from my fee
BILE hands, when l attempt to do my duty to
you in detailing the leading incidents OF thiS
grand historic drama.
The little preliminary touches at Gilmer and
Cushing on the low underplot Of the Commit
tee on Foreign Affairs pass over. as mere
prelude-a farce indeed--but satire OF sting
ing severity and bitter truth. leave also to
your Congressional abstract the amusing par
ticulars which he gave of anonymous missives
from the South, threatening him with death,in
terms identical with those of Gllmer's first at
tack on him, ten days ago. Among other
kindly hints thus received by the mails, was
one of the common colored Autograph portraits
of him with picturesque annotations, such as
the mark of rifle-ball on the forehead, with
description accompanying, and promise that
such remedy would soon 'stop his music
the very words of Gilmer. These little mat
tiers he brought forward in perfect good nature,
as if to relieve the sombre and grave charac-
ter of the general proceedings. The whole
speech, now only begun, should be published
in every northern Wing paper, as fast as it
comes on.
The thread of his great discorse to-day was,
simply, his present and past relations to Vlr-
ginia and Vrginians. This is the clue that
leads you through all the splendid scenes oil
his grand review ofhis life, which is the life of
the Great American Republic
Nothing strikes me more forclbly, among the
many strange impressions made by these SIN
guIar scenes, than the total, disgraceful,s shame
less ignorance as TO who John Quincy Adams
is. That he has been President of the United
States, and had previously borne high Offices,
seems occasionally to be vaguely understood
bv very few of the most intelligent of his per-
secutors but of the part which he has borne
for half century in the history of America
and the world, they know no more than they
do of the Mishna and Germara, or of the We
das and Pooranas.
Now, today, in gratefully acknowledging
his infinite obligations to the great Virginians
of the first age of the Federal Republic, he
modestIy and unpretendly recounted the I'M
sought exalted honors heaped upon him by
Washington. by Madison, and by Monroe, and
detailed with touching simplicity and force
some of his leading actions in the discharge oil
those weighty trusts. As he went back through
the historic visits of patriotic monuments, ne
seemed to ''renew his youth like the eagles"
and rose into still loftier and holder strain
than in the whitening retort with which
he struck down Wise and Marshall last
week. In passing over the preilmlnarIes
of his career, he happened 10 fix his eye on
Marshall, who was then moving down one oil
the side aisles. Instantly, on the suggestion
of the moment, he burst out into beautiful
appeal to the hallowed memory of the venera-
led and immaculate Virginian, who once bore
The name of MARSHALL though long ca
reer of iuridical honor and usefulness. Then
The conlrast-"Up to this time, the name of
Marshall was associated only the ideas of hon.
or and Justice but now it must GO down to all
time, degraded by the memory of this scene of
baseness." You would have pitied poor Mar
shall, if you could have seen his pallid face
working under infection, as he struggled TO
keep his ground and brace himself up against
The torture. He will probably continue to
walk the Hobbies hereafter, as he usually does
when Mr.. Adams speaks.
Mr.. Wise, whom MIR. Adams disdaincd 10
touch again to-day, sat vainly attempting to
wear an aspect of needless indifference during
The whole speech writing, &c. At last, when
Mr.. Adams was giving the details of a portion
Of his diplomatic services, and while the House
we're listening with GREATNESS interest, Mr.. !
Wise. as if fatigued with tedious old mans
story, took up his hat. sauntercd down from
his seat into the centre of the hall, and thence
out through the broad aisle, Il circultous and
unusual course, for him. This was intended,
Of course, as significant hint to the House,
Of Mr. Wise's WEAKNESS and want OF interest;
but, a moment or two after, he stealthv slid
into the hall by another entrance, and taking
a back seat, sat devouring the speech with the
same excrucialing interest as before Strange
fascination The poor fellows would like 10
-un away and leave him with thin House i
put they can't, and so they sit whitening under
It, hour after hour.
Lord Morpeth was again devoted and wrapt
auditor. He has not missed day since the
affair began. 1t was beautiful to see British
Minister of State sitting here and looking up
to learn from this source, the unwritten, deep
er history of his own country, as well as of Eu-
rope. For such it was, when Adams gave the
history of the movements at the court Of the
Emperor Alexander, excited by his agency,
which eventuated in the russo-Britlsh alliance
resulting in the overthrow of the great Napole-
On.
The general interest Though less completely
in the value of this appeal to the
past, was not the less impressive and al-absor-
oing. The whole House drew together around
him, and sat at his feet like children, transfix- |
I'd and admirinn Will furious Southerners. |