Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-12-23


coaeraly, he seized every chance to advert to it.
lie was prepared for the task by carly literary
training; also by diplomatic experience, for from
his youth upward he was practically experienced
in reading the dark hieroglyphics of diplomacy
and he came down from the Presidential chair
with character for high rectitudo which pecu-
liary fitted him for the championship he assumed.
The petition on which he was arraig igned, was one
from a certain portion of the people, praying for
the dissolution Of the Union. This dissolution Of
the Union was threat which the South had been
in the habit OF addressing, not to the judgement,
Tor that is out of the question: Lut to the pol
tr5onery CT the North, and the Union-saving year
of 1850 was groTth thcrcfrom that year in
which circulars were addressed to ministers, pray
ing them to aid in saving the Union that year
when minister of the Gospel was found to say
he would sell his own mother into slavery to save
the Union. Shame \ Yes shame before the civ
ilized world! !, too (sad Mr.. Co. have mother,
and should a slayehulding mscrcant raise a hand
to polute the hem of her garment if Providence
would not strike him dead, there is human arm
that would. Great applause. The army and
and the navy were called upcn, down to rrvatcs
and scamen, to have all their weapons ready at
hand to save the Uuion Over all the contry there
was trcpidation, anxiety, and running to and fro ;
men ran to ask how they were to save the Union !;
and when the President received message asking
him what all the matter, the answer
why, Lord bless you, there is a nigger loose !"
Laughter 1t was resolution to take the South
ut their word, which brought forth this petition
from llaverhill, Mass of forty-tWo citizens, ask
ing the dissolution Of the Union, the ground
that Slavery was wrong, and that the earnings of
the North were applied to support the system.
Mr. Adams. in presenting it, moved to have the
petition referred to select committee, with in
sructions to report against it stating why. Sever
al members asked to make different motions regard
ing the petition but Mr.. GilmOr, of Virginia,
succeeded in making one-that Mr.. Adams should
receive the censure of the House for presenting
such petition. The House thcreupon adjourned.
Mr.. Marshal, Of Kentucky, as Il Whig (because
Mr.. Gilmour us a Democrat, and therefore con-
sdcred unfit to prosecute the mattcr was selected
by tho Shareholders to prosecute aIraignmeut
Of Mr.. Adams. Mr.. Marshal was man of high
talents good family, and with an ambition to pit
himself against MIR. Adams. While the South
was thus caucused on their side the North took nc
step on the side Of Freedom. Next day, before an
immense audience, Mr.. Marshal offered substitute
for Mr. Gilmours resolutions, to the same effect
but more verbose, accusing Mr.. Adams Of high
1 treason, declaring him worthy OF expulsion, but
( recommending, instead, in consideration Of Mr.
Adams high position the severe censure of the
House heard him throughout with the utmost
cOolness. When Mr. Marshal was DONE Mr.
Adams rose, and with the utmost calmness, saiC
the accuser would find his answer to the charge o
high treason in the first aragraph of the Declara
ton Of Independence Mr.. Adams repeated this
thrice each time raising his voice higher. The
Clerk commenced reading the Declaration; h,
halted when he had got through the preamble
Mr.. Albums told him to read to fright and
duty" and then the Clerk read the paragraph de
claring the right Of the people to reconstructed
government for their protection. Mr.. Adams
simply argued that the right of petition could not
be denied to lreemen. The general impression
seemed to be that no further steps could then he
takCn 4 motion to print was made Air. Wise
obtained the floor, and Grraigned Mr.. Adams !;
his whole speech was personal nvcctivo against
him he accused Him Of being in complication
with England to dissolve the Union {; and he wound
up with declaring Slavery to be the chief principle
Of democracy. Mr. Adams rose and declincd5 re
plying to Mr. Mars al or Mr.. Gilnonr, but address
scd himself to Mr.. Wise's speech. He said he
would not reply to the accusation against himself
but alluded to Mr.. Wise having come into the
House with his hands dripping with human gore,
lalluding to the duel in which Mr.. Graves killed
Col. Ciley, Wise being Graves scCond) Mr.
Wise could not stand it. lie called Mr. Adams to
order but the latter crushed him with word, and
thence proceeded to spe k of Mr.. Marshal for
whose former character he expressed much admi-
ration, but regretted his falling away from the
. cause Of liberty. lie advised Mr.. Marshal to 70
back to Kentucky, and reconmcncc the study of
the law-thsn he might learn to know what trea
, son, under the Constitution of the United States
was. lie next poured forth his inyectves, until
Marshal was II corpse politically before him
He stood about thirty feet off, leaning against a
pillar, his face showing that every nerve in his
body felt the torture; as he himself afterward ac-
knowledged. a motion for jurisdiction in the
/, case was made and more than forty North
ern members sustained it! This was DONE al
though the proper jurisdiction of the House, for
4 expulsion on censuro, only extended to bad con
duct. Next day there was o discussion, in which
Mr.. Underwood took n part, eXcusing Mr.. Adams
as not being an Aboltionist. There seemed to be
II distinction on that word then which is not held
F now. Mr. Underwood said, Gentlemen, when
you dissolve the Union you dissolve Slavery" lAp
pause l love truth, (sad Mr.. Giddngs,) even
when it comes from Stakeholder; indeed, more
, from him than from another; because the scarcity
of an article always cnchances its value. Laugh
ter, The Shareholders were brought out in ex
plantation Of their previous resolutions to dissolve
the Union. A motion to lay on the table was
made. 1t was seen that the prosecution which
was intended to PROSTATE Mr.. Adams turned out
to be one that would PROSTATE the slave power
and in consequence, the friends of Mr., Adams
voted against laying on the table Mr. Marshal
/, made Il vain attempt to lay on the table, Mr
Giimour made proposition that if Mr. Adams
r would withdraw the petition, he would with
E draw the motion of censure. The question
was, would Mr.. Adams compromise his char
acter and dignity? lie answered that he had pre-
sented his petition in accordance with his duty to
, God and man, and had no compromises to make
Mr. Gilmour made as graceful n retreat as he could
Then Mr.. Adams asked, as necessary to his de-
fense, that he should be empowered to obtain from
the President copies of the documents relating to
the imprisonment and sale into Slavery of northern
coored scamen; of all papers concerning the case
of Capt Bolton, of the Navy; of all letters writ
G ten by \. Stephens, while Minister at st. James
' touching idemnity for slaves; and Of the letter
a from President Tyler to VIM. johnson on the gag
: rule Two of these demands were granted him.
= Mr.. WISE received another eXcoraton, and re-
4; torted in an unparliamentary strain of yitupera
\ ton; to which Mr.. Adams only replied: ''Thi;
q LANGUAGE to a criminal on his trial l' which re-
) mark was received with the applause and laughter
E of the Chamber. Mr. Adams commenced his de
e fense by ludicrous grouping of the elements OF
, the charge against him. lie next alluded to the
t early confidence reposed in him by Washington
{ and Jefferson, and contrnsted the Revolutionary
Y heroes and Statesmen of Virginia with the delega
{ ton from that State at that day. which showed lh'
: gentlemen Of that delegation in no very enyiabl,
coors. lie contrasted the prosperity of the Nortl
+ with the poverty Of the slayebodng States. Mr.