The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-06-11

"i1hOui, ihOat ieIOClOuS tuTeatS Wcfe uttered.
Another Missouri contest was expected.
None counted on less than forty or fifty bal
lettings; some said TIE election would occupy
weeks-pcrhaps months while others went
so far as to say that no choice would
be made; but that Congress, would
break up in roi0. To patriotic
mind it seemed as if all the evil powers who
had sought the ruin Of free Government
had gathered together at Washington, aud
were hurting thro' the troubled air. Many
persons carried concealed weapons, as ex-
pecting some violent outbreak. The bar
rooms Of hotels and eating houses were
crowded with guests, whose aspect BODIED no
good TO the country, or the peaceful pros
gress Of its government. Many heart thai;
loved American regulated freedom, .rem>
bled in view Of the untricd experiment now
for the first time attempted. Amidst such
auguties the day of election came. Every
avenue lea1ing to the Capitol was filled
with people, all whose faces looked in one
direction, and were filed with one common
expression of grave and interested curiosity.
Into the galleries which surrounded and
overlook the hall of Representatives, not an
additional human being could by possibility
be forced and the staircases, quite out of
sight and hearing Of what was passing with
IN. were crammed with watching multitudes
hoping against hope, TO gain by some good
chance, or dint of Patience and of ply
strength, glimpse at least of the exciting
scene.
1t had been proposed, in debate, on The
day previous, that, during the election, the
galleries Of the hall should be closed as they
could, at best, accommodate but handful
of those who were anxious to witness the
scene but Mr.. McDuilie, Chen a prom-
nent member of the House, warmly denied
the right of Congress to exclude the people
from witnessing, if they so pleased, the acts
of their own representatives, in a matter,
especially, SO vitaly affecting them all. And
when it was suggested that the admission Of
SO great and SO excited crowd, would in
evitably be productive of disorder, he sprang
up, and, in tones which echoed through the
hall and galleries, pledged himself for " the
orderly department of the PEOPLE, while
looking on such scenc." His appeal was
too popular to be successfully resisted, and
the doors were thrown open accordingly.
1t was an imposing spectacle. The circu-
lar lobby outside the bar, (and into which
none are admitted but privileged persons,
whose right is specified by law as well as
the LoGrA, or open area, behind the columns
in the rear of the Speakers scat, were filed
with members of the Senate. ex-Governors
of States, military and naval officers, (those
only, however, who had received votes of
thanks by Congress for meriIorious service,)
foreign ministers and their attaches, Judges
of the Supreme Court--in word, with all
whose envicd distinction it was to pass the
vigiant scrutiny of the door-keepers, now
douoly vigilant. and all upon the gm vive,
A restless movement of the members within
the bar, and general murmur like the a.
larmed hum of bees when their hive is dis
turbed, gave token of the state Of leverish
anxiety which prevailed throughout the body.
Could any revealing spirit have opened
to human view the hopes, the fears. the boil.
L., a.. L Al.
fierce bosoms, how would the painful inter-
ests of the scene have been yet further
heightened in intensity
AT length, The Speakers hammer fell. A
dead silence Instantly prevailed, and the re-
speclive delegations assembled and took
their seats around the tables prepared for
them. 1t was my privilege, from an cleva-
ted position on the right of the chair, to en-
JOY full view of all the groups and have
preserved rude and hasty sketch which /
caught OF their positions while the first bal
lot was proceeding. Each delegation ap.
pointed one oftheir numbers to act as Chair
man to collect their votes, and report the
results. The delegations voted by plurali-
ties. Whoever, in each, received the most
votes, was reported as the choice of that
There were twenty four of
these gorups and when the votes had been
gathered in each. they were called upon to
report, which they did in succession, rira
poce, commencing with Maine. The silence
was like that of sepulchre. Mems breath
was suspended, as State after State uttered
IFS voicei and oh, can / ever forget the mo.
ment when the Speaker, ST standng up in his
place, declared, in clear, sonorous voice,
that seemed TO pierce through bone and
marrow, that "JoHN QUINCY ADAMS,
having received a majority Of the votes cast,
was duly elected President of the United
States, for four years from the fourth day of
March next ensuing"
Then arose such a shout from the galleries
as seemed to lift the very dome of the hail.
MIR. McDuifie (whose candidate had been
defeated, whose eager hopes were blasted
and whose pledge for the good order oil the
assembly was remembered by ally sprang
in much excitement from the ground, and in
a voice that rang among all the tumultuous
plaudits of the spectators, cried, "Mr.
Speaker, / move that the gallery be clear
ed :" The question was put and carried
. YES" said foreign minister to another who
stood by his side, but how are you going
70 do it PA natural question enough for
European ignorant of the country and the
people Here were DO guards no gens.d'-