Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1853-07-02
From, Arthur's Home Ga2cNe7
John Quincy Adams, his Election
bY the House Of Representatives.

|
John Quincy Adams, his Election
by the House Of Representatives.
The struggle for the vacant Presidential chair
shook the Union; it kindled strife and gave
birth to parties which are not extinct among
US; with these it is not my province or my pur-
pose to NEEDLE, but it was my lot to see the
| issue of the contest, when it came to its head
and was decided, blow by blow, on the high
places of the field. The hall of the House of
Representatives exhibited, on that eventful day,
such a spectacle as never had been witnessed
in this country, such as the world never saw.
There being three candidates for the Presiden-
| cy, and neither Of them having received the
constitutional majority giving him title to the
office, that crisis had arrived which, in all 9TH
er countries has been decided by the sword;
but which, having been contemplated as posi-
Bile by that band of men, (nspired they surely
| were with wisdom not their own,) who franz
ed our happy Government had been provided
for by the peaceful expedient of taking the
choice out of the immediate hands of the peo-
pie, and committing it to their own representa-
tives, acting, not as one amalgamated body, but
in their separate capacity, as the declarations Of
the respective States; each united delegation
casting one vote.
AS the day appointed for the election ap-
preached, the excitement of the public mind be-
came intense. Washington was crowded.
Nightly caucuses, and the most anxious calcu-
lations occupied the leading men ofeach of the
three parties. So evenly were they balanced,
that after the most exact scrutiny had been gone
through with, after the probable vote of each
individual man had been set down with as much
care as if the whole result depended on his in
dividual suffrage, it was concluded that the re-
suit would very possibly turn on single vote;
and when the morning of the decision had ac-
tually come, it was generally understood that
that vote was in the hands of wealthy, up
right, and amiable, but not very firm or vigor-
Gus, member of the New York delegation. He
had given his promise to vote for Mr.. Adams,
but the eager, agitating. anxious question was
whether he would remain firm to that pledge
or not.
The Hall was prepared for the process of the
election by placing seats for the respective
State delegations, each having separate table,
in the semicircular open space in front of the
Clerks table. Before the hour for taking their
seats there, they wereto be seen walking
about in little bands, or seated in groups, earn
estly conversing in low tone, every mind be-
ing occupied in the result ofthe election. Each
party was sanguine of success. Bets were
staked of large amount. The most confident
predictions were uttered, and by some of the
excited and inscriptions partisans without,
most ferocious threats were uttered. A second |
Missouri contest was expected. None count
ed on less than forty ballotings; some said the
election would occupy weeks, perhaps months,
but that Congress would break up in roao
To xxrfri c{i ind oil tbo
evil powers who sought the ruin of free Gov
ernment had gathered together at Washington,
and were hurting through the troubled air. Ma
ny persons carried concealed weapons, as ex-
oecting some violent outbreak. The bar-rooms
of hotels and eating houses were crowded W ith
quests, whose aspect boded no good to the
country, or the peaceful progress of the gov
Many heart that loved American
egulated freedom trembled in view of the un- {
red experiment, now for the first time to be at ,
empted. Amid such auguries the day ofelec- t
ion came Every avenue leading to the Capt. s
oil was filled with people, all whose faces look
d in one direction, and were filled with one
ommon expression of grave and interested 7
urosity. Into the galleries which surround =
nd overlook the hall of Representatives not j.,
n additional human being could by possibility d
forced, and the staircases, quite out Of sight
nd hearing of what was passing within, were Il
rammed with watching multitudes, hoping :,
gainst hope, to gain, by some good chance, or II II
y dint of patience and of physical strength,
limpse at least ofthe exciting scene.
1t had been proposed, in debate on the day
revious, that, during the election, the galleries -
the hall should be closed, as they could at Il =,
est accommodate but handful of those who G.
ere anxious to witness the scene; but Mr.. =.
cDuffie, Chen prominent member of the 81 81
ouse) warmly denied the right of Congress to q
icude people from witnessing, if they SO
eased, the acts of their own representatives,
matter, especially, SO vitality affecting them al
!. And when it was suggested that the adj s
ission of so great and excited crowd would ra
evitably be productive of disorder, he sprang A
}, and in tones which reached through the nj
Ill and galleries, pledged himself for "the pt
derly department of the people while looking u
such scene" His appeal was too popular nj
be successfully resisted, and the doors were R
1 M