Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-04-25


hind the. columns in the rear of the
Speakers seal, were filled with members
of the senate, eX- Governors of States
military and naval officers, Chose only
however, who had received votes OF
thanks by Congress for merilorious ser
vice. foreign ministers and their attaches,
Judges OF the Supreme Court--in II
word, with all whose ensied distinction
II was to pass The vigilant scrutiny o!
flhe door-keePers, now donbly yigilanl,
and all upon The .qui rice. A restless
movement of the members within the
bar, and a general murmur like the alar-
med hum Of bees when their hive is
disturbed, gave token of the state Of te-
serish anxiety which prevailed through
out the body. Could any revealing spir-
il ha. c opened 10 human view the hopes,
| the fears, the boiling passions, which ,u.
muluated within those fierce bosoms,
how would the painful INTERESTS of the
scene hare been yet further heightened
in Intensity! fa@...at N.a .aagr.3. E.
Az length, the Speakers hammer fell.
a dead silence instantly prevailed. and
The respective delegations assembled and
took their seats around the tables prepa-
red ior them. . a.zsr .sra.,- ss.. ..ts .....s
Il was my privilege, from an elevated
position on The right of the chair to en-
Joy a full view of NIL The groups; and
lave preserved rude and hasty sketch
which l caugh,fof their positions while
the first ballot was proceeding. Each
delegation appointed one of their num-
ber TO act as Chairman To collect, their
votes, and report the result. The dele
cations voted by plurali.ies. Whaes er,
in each, received the most votes, was re,
ported as the chuice Of that delegation.
There were twenty -four of these groups;
and when the votes had been gathered in
each, ;itey were called upon to report.
which hey did in succession, uiUa UocP,
commencing with Maine. The silence
was Ike that of a sepulclire. Mems
| breath was suspended. as State after
State uttered lis voice; aud oh, can ever
liorget The moment when the Speaker,
standing up in his place, declared, in a
! clear, sOn0rous voice, that seemed to
pierce through bone and narrow, that
JOHN Quincy ADAMS, having received
Il majority Of the votes cast, was duly
elected President of the United States
for fnnr years from the fourth day OF
! March next ensuing" s-.- ---.---.---
Then arose such a shout from the
! galleries as seemed to lifl The very dome
OF the hail. Mr.. McDuflie (waose can
dida,e had been defeated, whose eager
hopes were blasted. and whose pledge
for the good order of the assembly, was
remembered by ail.) sprang in much cx-
citemt nt from the ground, and in voice
/ that rang above all The tumu!tnoas plaa-
hdlts of the spectators, cred, MIR. Speak.
cr, 1 move rha, the gallery be c'eurca"
!. The question was put and garfield
Yes said foreign minister 10 another
who stood by his side, '.bnt how are
tyou going To do ii!'' A natural question
enough fer a European, ignorant OF the
Country and the people. Here were
no guards; no gems .drmes; not even
IA constable; how was the order to be Ell.
! forced! az-.1fsee .r.s + sy.ttEs
( He soon saw, and while he gazed,
seemed penetrated with speechless won
der. No sooner had the Speaker given
The order, The Sergeanl-ai-Arms viii
| clear the galleries, than an ac.re slen,
der young man. of graceful form aud
with brilliant black se.e. daried from
his place, and mounting, q dld not Sue
Ihow,) To The broad stone eprnice which
rams all round the hall IN front of, and
below, The breast work of the galleries
lnu,ioned with his arm to The dark,
dense, aud almost sutioea,ed mass oi
human beings before him, exclannng,
"Genllemen, the speaker orders the gal
lerles To be cleared you must retre-clear
the galleries. And at his word, like a
flock of quiet passive sheep, when the
gate Of their pen is thrown open, oul
wen, the entire crowd. without a word
of complaint or remonstrance, and in an
incredibly short time, not soul was leil
behind. The foreign minister lifted up
| his hands in amazement and exclaimed
"Whata government What a penpler
/ .arthur's Home Gazette,