Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-10-30
An Incident In the Life of John Quincy
Adams.

once No. 10, DeadeT4eh Street.
An Incident I'm the Life of John Quincy
Adams.
On the opening Of the Tweuty-Sixth Congress in
DecPmb'r 1889, in consequence Of two-fOld del
egation from NV Jersey, the House unable for
SOM time to complete its organization, and pre-
scented to the country and the world the perilous
and iscredtable aspect Of the assembled Repre-
sebtstV's of TIE peOpl- nnatl to form Themselves
into constitutional body. On first Assembling,
the Hous" has no officers, and the clerk Of the
preceding Congress acts, by usage as chairman of
the BODY til Speaker is chosen On this occa-
sion, after reaching the State OF New jersey, the
acting clerk declined to proceed in calling the roll,
and refused to entertain any Of the motions which
were made Tor the purpose of eItrcating the House
from It's embarrassments, Msnv Of the able and
most judicious mbers had sddr ssed the House
IN vain, and there was nothing but confusion and
disorder 10 prospect
The fourth day opened and still confusion was
triumphant. Mr.. Adams. from the beginning Of
this scene of confusion and snsrch y bad maintain
ed profound sil"nc". fl appeared 10 be engaged
most of the lime writing. To common observer,
he seemed TO he reckless Of everything around
him; hut nothing, nor the slightest incident,
capped him. The fourth day Of the struggle had
now commenced; Mr. Hugh H. Garland the clerk,
was directed to call the roll again.
He commenced with Maine, usual in those
days, and was procee ing towards New Jersey.
turned and saw that Mr.. Adams was ready to get
the floor at the earliest period possible as soon az
that State vas nall-d. Ris keen eve was riveted
ga sue clerk; MS hands clasped the front edge of
him in rising
New Jersey! CALCULATED Mr. Hugh H. Garland
and the clerk has to repeat that---
Mr.. Adams sprang to the foor
rise to Interrupt the clerk, was his first ejacu-
lation.
'Silence, silence" resounded through the hall
m hipI L
hear John Quincy Adamsl was the unanimous eiac-
ulaton on all Sides
10 an Instant the most profound silence reigned
throughout the hail and every eve was riveted on
the venerable member from Massachusetts, He
paused Tor moment, and having given Mr.. Carl
ana whitening look, be proceeded to address the
House,
1T was not my intention, ;" said he, "a to take any
part IN these extraordinary proceedings had hoped
that this House would succeed in organizing itself
that Speaker and Clerk would be elected and that
the ordinary business of legislation would be pro-
Eres7ed M ibis Is not III" time place to discuss
the merits OF the conflicting claimants for seats from
No" jersey that subject belongs to the House Of
Representatives, which, by the Constitution is made
the ultimate arbiter OF the qualification of s men,
Ders. But what spectacle We here PRESENT. We
degrade and disgrace ourselves we degrade and
disgrace our constituents and the country We do
not and cannot organize. and why! Because the
Clerk OF this House, the mere Clerk, whom we
create, whom We employ, and whose existence de-
ponds upon our will, usurps the throne, and sets
us, the Repr' sentariVes, the vcegerents of the
whole American p ople, at defiance, ard holds Us
IN contempt And what is this Clerk of yours E?
Is he to suspend, by his mere negative, the func-
tons of government and put an end To this Com
gress? He refuses to call the rolIi Il is in your
power to compel him to call it. If he will not do it
voluntarily. (HSre he was interrupted b. a MEM
ber who said that he was authorized to saw that
compassion could not reach the Clerk who avow-
ed that he would resign rather than call the State
OF New Jersey.) Well, sir then let him resign"
continued Mr.. Adams, sand may possibly dis
cover some way by which can get along without
the aid OF his alpoWeriul talent learning and gent
US. II we cannot organize in any other way il
this Clerk Of yours will consent 10 our discharg-
ing the trusts confded to Us by our constituents
then let US initiate the example of the VIRGINIA
House OF Burgessee, which, when the colonial Gov
ernor, Dinwddie, ordered it to dsperse refused TO
obey his insulting mandate, and like the men"
The multitude could retain or repress their
enthusiasm any longer, but salut, d the eloquent
and indignant speaker, and interrupted him with
loud and desteuiug cheers, which seemed 70 shake
the capitol TO its center. The turmoil the dark
ness, the very chaos Of anarchy, which had for
three successive days perVaded the American
Congress, was dsDelled by the magic and tasman-
ic rlOquence of a single man; and, once more the
wheels ct government and of legislation were put
In motion.
Having, oy this powerful appeal brought the
yet ubOrghulZed assembly 70 a perception OF its
hazardous position, he submitted a motion rednir-
ing the Clerk proceed to Call the roll This and
similar motions ad already been made hv other
members The difficulty was the acting Clerk de-
clined TO ent' rtain them. Accordingly, Mr.. Adams
was Immediately int rTGpted by a burst of voices,
demanding how shall the question he put? Who
will put the question? The voice of Nr. Adams
wac heard above the tumult, " | intend to put the
question myself" That word brought order out
OF chaos. There was the master mind
As the multitude had recovered itself
and the excitement OF IRE pre- sibIe eut usasm had
abated, Mr. Robert Barnwell Rhett, of South Caro-
lima, leaped upon OF tue desks, waved bis hand
aud exclaimed:
II move that the Honorable John O. Adams take
the chair OF the Speaker Of this House aud ofcate
as pr, siding officer ill the House be organized by
the election OF its constitutional oficeFsi As macy
as are agreed to this will say, Ay; those
lie bad not an opportunity TO complete the SEN
tence-" those who not agreed, will say No
for one universal deafening Ay responded TO the
nomination.
Hereupon, IL moved and ordered that Lewis
Williams, OF North Carolina, and Robert BarnWell
Rhett, conduct John Quincy A dams to the chair.
Wen did Mr.. Wise, of Virginia. say, "Sir, re-
gard u as the proudest hour OF my life; and il
when you shall be gathered 10 your fathers, were
asked to select words which in my judgment
oest Calculated to give the character of the
m7n, would iuscribe upon the tomb this sentence,
i will put the question myself - ReniaiscsRsss
by Gn Old Colony Man