Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1842-02-18
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.

The rncent attempts to expcl, or c%ensurc,
Ex-Presidcnt Adams, has turned out a lame,
impotent affair, on the part Of the concoctors,
and most triumphantly has the "liulo old
man" turned the tables upon his accusers.
The whole subject is now disposed of-by
laying i, on the table-but the following
graphic account Of the First Act, is too re-
ple.e with interest, not to lie read with at
tention, even Il second time.
Correspondence Of the n. Y. Americana
WAsHIsdToS, Tuesday, Jan. %.
Mark the day with n rcd letter in your calendar.
1t IS the birth day Of Il revolution, and, | trust. the
beginning Of q new era of true and unlimited re-
pa lconisia--of uaiycr al liberty and of free dis
clssion.
The Sou,horncrs' caucus resulted i, a determina-
lion TO eXpcl John Quincy Albums, if possible. BIT,
as the Constitution requires twO-thirds to effect this,
land fortunately Southern 81 tylrs and Northern Siarss
do not constitute quite tHothi, ds Of the renrescn,ives
ci the natiOn,) they resolved 10 fetL Of the H. ise first
by a rcsoluiiln, int,I ing all the indirnity of an ex-
pa! sion, by declaring him deserving of il, and then,
Ii the si-ns llvo-ed, ta ameal it into an actual cx.
puls,on.
In selecting their agent for this shameless purpose,
they manifested some judgment. Thomas +. Mar
shall, who, N on Of his wild lights, had attracted
much attention by his high ard truthful compliment
ID Mr.. Adams and to New ENGLAND, was taken TN
by them, and llaitcr"d, until his judgment gave way
iand'F The dc!!,ous lhtoXlcauon, and he consented 10
be their too.
Th2 Sau.ierners came into the House ,his morn
inG viii. looks and movements which, to the COM
nionrst cy0a, betrayed their Consciousness Of some
av:ii and terrible movement on their part, which, in
TIER weak fanci-a, was to oyertlelm and crush NIr.
Adams and his cause forever. They looked dark
eaough-somc Tale d. own, some yellow, some blue,
aAi some hlack-wi,a lips compressed, and breath
drawn hard. They gathered into groups b. them.
se,',,s, and conyersel in deep whispers; and the
whole aspcctoi "a scene, ut II O'Clock, was tina, of
n conspiracy j ST about 10 burst into a revo' ution.
They waited !nHaEeutiy az the rcaaing Of the ,ur-
nal, 10 open Their battery but Mr.. Fillmore secured
the floor, and asked leave 10 make some important
reports from the Committee OF Ways and Means,
with n view % have the bills printed and referred 10
the Committee Of the Whole for future ntiion.
M Marshall then roso before a crowded house
and CALLER es.
Conticucre onncs, in:cn,i1lc ora tencbant.
! shall not atte npt to give a mmary Of what was
then done and said. The full, accurate, rich and adj
mira le report in tls National InielNgelcer, ought to
be copiel rn,-c, if your limit, ndmit; and do not
know what lferiry nnl commercial matters, what
news, foreign or domestic, sh1nld be allowed 10
weigh against the vitality imp1rtlrt details Of these
scenes, big as each honr il, with the fate Of the
natioE.
Marshall fit tie h'storica' importance of his posi-
ton, aud aid himself ont in il 70 his utmost ability.
He spoke IN a tone Of sJernnity and GOODNESS most
unusual with llm, ant attempted 20 take a h Oh ma
losterial anil Judicial elevation, from which, in the
i]lsolencc of his coacev, he thought TO pour down the
Nht iA-3S ~ ~ .iNtll it'tl VI. VIZ 4Gias o'ltGl VI
his attack, as n judge prononncing sentence on n
convicted culPrit in the sight Of approving men and
angels. Warning somewhat with the imposing silent
attention of the vast, un!noying concoursc, he cx-
panied and iHHa'od into an exhibition Of his own past
relations to the Ex-President, and represented him.
self as euIinont'y qualified 10 nt his chosen part Of
the prose 'utor, Judge and e1ecutiJncr, Of him who
had long been the oajsc, of yeneration, affection and
slnoort.
When he corclndei, ami the Speak or announced to
Nj. 4 ANS that his position entitled him /, the floor.
fhouobt al n nlrnllpl sSppn--"Ihar Aorirno ,ai lt,r.,
thee to peak for 'hysc!f. And Paul stretched forth
his hand and aid
Up rose, then, ,ha, lille, focble, gray, lettering
old man, ha eyes dimuei and his hands trembling
with constitutional inirmity and age-upon whose
consecrltcl head the viials Of tyrainic wrath had
now been ou'poured, while around Inn s'eomei n
hundred 10 NerlnF hroNs, in longs anding, heredita-
~ hate k!niiel into now fury by the arousing OF the
vile,t, most brutal and sordd passions.-Among the
crowds Of %slayers who filled the gnlIeries, he could
seek no friends, and but few among those around him,
ov + all Of whom, in years gone by, he hal held al
most imperial sway. The vision Of that hour, hat
moment, | felt was worth more to me than all the
rest of my life. No romantic or lrlmaii: scene #
tictous interest ever awakened by the powers of
binq reality.
Mild, calm, unexc.tad, uniepresstd, he turned his
meek face on 4 scene, appalling t, many a heart that
had a stoUter covering, and raised his voice, hirL-
keyed as u%ntremulous and firm. The inG,mi,ies of
his shaking, half palsied h'nd, You did so only to link
Giants staircase"
Thou ,~rembles,, Fuliero"
Its with age then"
Al first there was nothing Of Indignation IN his
tone, m1nner, or words, Surprise and cold con'enpt
were all. But Sons flash Of whitening scorn slruck
tho unhappy Marshall to the earth, and "a single
breath blew all his mock judicial array into air
md smoke. IN pltny mind" o, il was oxqpieite !
Poor Marshall is on he buck, Hat IN the mud, aud will
never rise aqnIn. Blu, the grandcst touch Of the
whole was where Adams, in a tone of insultcd ma
majesty, and reinviGora,ed spirit, said, in rcp'y TO the
audaclous and atror!ous charge Of Nigh treason ~
Il call for the reading Of the first uarauraph Of the
And see what htat says Of The Fi-h, of a people 10 re.
form, to change, to djsoIve their government
The look, the tone, the attitude and gesture Of the
venerable and insultei patriot, at that instant, were
most imposing. The voice was that of soycrcig1
command, no ofa Cesar 10 his legious.-His sligil,
STOPPING fame seemed 10 dilnie and heiahten; III.
burden Of aryenty-hye years had rolled from him
AM shpnc ont above the slight things around him
twho had thought themselves his equals by being hi,
ass cIa!rs) Ike an anointcd king, or an inspire.
prorlet.
When the reader came 10 thai; passage Of the d,
cIara,inn That solemnly declares the riph, of Reform
levolIupn, and resistance TO oppression, the OIL,
man Numbered out, READ hat ag4in p And HI
looked proudly around on the listening audience, Al
he heard his triumphant vindicaiiun oInded forth il
the glorious sentences Of our Revolutionary .Nignt
Chnrta. The sympaihetic iusiantanes as r.yul.ion n
feel NJ was tremendous anil ~ra,pahlc, though Vol G
less. Every drop of free, honest blood in that Va.
asscmhlape, bounded with high impulse; and ever,
nlre lnIiueu win the excitement. The whole acton
lhough simple, natural unaffected, was dramatic an,
effective beyond Shakspearc's noblest conception
John Philip Kembie might have learned in this schoo
of natures action.
A strong c%Shit,'ion of the facts IN the ease, mosrl
in cold, ear logical, measured sentences con,,nd,
Mr.. Adams high toned appeal from the nr,f,n. hat
blcrs Of this slav.sh generation, tnihe s1in,eJ F,ther
OF that system Of Revolutionary Liberty Of WHEN il
q the coeyal AMI the MODEST, Champion aud fepros.o
,ative. And then he mt down, vindicatei, ,ic,ornn,
Mr.. Everett, OF Vermont, \ crave, aieL. me,
c.table man, en'ncn, forhis prudence aud looi sens,
then spo e briefly IN condemnation O! the attraction
assault which the pr,noscd resolution made man II,
venerable Aeain,: and concluded by moving a Dos
poaement untl Monday.
WAsHIT0TnN, Eth 1