Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1842-02-18

pointed ont by that instrument, and the mem.
bers Of this House, deriving their political
character and powers from the same, are sworn
to support ii, and the dissolution.of the Union
necessarily implies the destruction OF that IN
strument, the overthrow Of the American he
public, and extinction of ournationai existence;
A proposition, therefore, to the Representatives,
Of the people, to dissolve the organic law ifam-
ed by their constituents, and to support which
they are commanded by those constituents to
be sworn, before they can enter upon the exc.
cntion Of the political powers created by u, and
entrusted to them, is high breach OF privilege,
contempt offered to this House, direct pro-
position to the Legislature and each member
Of it, to commit perjury; and involves, neces-
sarly, it is execution and its consequences,
the destruction Of our country end the crime
Of high treason.
Resolved, therefore, That the Hon. J. q. AD-
ANS, member from Massachusetts, In presen-
tine for the consideration Of the House Of Rep
reseutatives of the United States, petition
praying the dissolution of the Union, has offer
ed the deepest indignity to the House of which
he is a member; an insult to the people OF the
United States, of which that House is the
Legislative organ; and will, if this outrage be
permitted to pass unrebuked and unpublished,
have disgraced his country, through their hep
resentatives, in the eyes Of the whole world.
Resolued further, That the aforesaid JOHN Z.
ADAMS, for this insult, the first of the kind ever
offered to the Government, and for the wound
which he has permitted to be aimed through his
fundamentally, at the Constitution and exs-
tence of his country, the peace, the security,
and liberty of the people Of these States, might
well be held 10 merit expulsion from the nation.
al councils; and the House deem it, an act Of
grace and mercy, when they only infilct upon
him their severest censure for conduct so utterly
unworthy of his past relations to the State, and
his present position. This they hereby do for
the maintenance Of their own purity and digni-
ty; for the rest, they turn him over to his own
conscience, and the Indignation OF all true
.4mericun citizens.
Mr.. M. then asked the Speaker whether it
would be in order for him to accompany this re-
solution by few remarks.
The SPEAKER replied in the affirmative.
rSeveral voices: Certainly, certainly
Mr.. M. proceeded: He was very well aware
of-and had, before he drew up this resolution,
n,aturely, at least as maturely, as time would
admit, considered well-all that he would ex-
pose himself to by submitting it; and if he
was at all acquainted with his own temper, or
with the movements of his own mind and heart,
he had been induced to take position of this
kind by no personal feelings towards the gen.
tlemen against whom he proposed to inaict the
censures of this House, and still less by and
sectional feeling against that portion of the
United States which he represented on that
floor and it was Of the first Importance for the
course which he was then pursuing, course
which involved heavy responsibilities, that he
should be free from all such motives. From
the short time that he had had place on that
floor, it could scarcely be charged against him
that he had ever manifested any hostility to
the Northern portion of our fellow-citzens.
The policy which he had advocated here, look
ed to the advancement Of their prosperity and
to the protection Of their industry Towards
the gentleman himself, the history of the past
and his personal relation towards him would
absolve him from the suspicion of being actua-
ted by personal feelings. His name, said Mr..
Nj. and the name Of his family, has been con-
nected in years gone by, with my name and
the name of my family, and devoted the frs,
years of my life in aiding to elevate him to the
first office which, if the proposition lie was
now animadvertng upon was carried into eff
feet, would be terminated with the existence
of the nation over whom that officer was called
to preside.
He rot only, Mr.. M. said, devoted the bes,
energies of his youth to the elevation of the
gentleman to that high station, but Throughout
the whole Of his administration was his ardent
supporter; and whatever personal feelings Of
bitterness might exist in that gentleman's bo
som towards other portions Of the slave States
however deep the cause he might have for tina
determined spirit Of hostility and vengeance
towards them, which seemed to actua'e hin
on that floor, yet the gentleman could have nc
such feelings towards him, and there was moth
ing in his past conduct, Mr.. NJ. said, which
could warrant them.
Within the last few days, scenes had been
enacted in that hall which had presented the
American Congress to the world in light e.
| qually discrediiable to the country and them.
selves; and which brought crowds to the gal.
leries to witness the termination of what he
had heard denominated, in passing through
the crowds in the streets, row. Even in
such scenes his conduct had shown no sort oil
personality or unkindness; and sir, said Mr..
NJ. the melton which was made to give him
an opportunity of defending himself against
the charges contained in the petition which he
himself presented, was the mover Of Cour-
tesy towards that gentlemen, personal courte-
sy and kindness, had distinguished him from
the commencement of his services in Congress
to that hour; but when proposition SO mon
strous as this was made--a proposition, and
that, too, like this, in the midst of the difficult
ties, embarrasments, and confusion with which
our public affairs were involved-amidst all
the sources of public discord we see around
us, there were fingers enough to be found to
stir up the embers Of dscord, and gravely SUBJ
nit to that House proposition calling upon
its members to betray the trusts solemny con-
fided to them by the people, violate their oaths,
and destroy constitution which they are
bound by every consideration of honor and of
conscience to support and defend. And that
was not all it was coupled with motion to