Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-12-12
THE OLD MAN ELOQUENT.

is great
THE OLD MAN ELOQUENT.
On the opening OF the NXVI Congress in
DcccmbcI, s39 in consequence of two-io'd
delegation from New Jersey. the House was un-
able, for some time 10 complete its organization.
aud presented to the country and the world the
perllouS and discreditable aspect Of the people
unable 10 torm themselves into a constitutional
body. On first assembling, the House has no
officers, aud the clerk oi the preceding Cungre 5
acts, by usage as chairman OF the bov till
speaker is chosen. On this Occasun on reach.
ing the State of New Jersey, the acting clerk
declined t. proceed in calling the roll and rcfu,-
ed TO entertain any of the moiipus which were
made for the purpose Of eNtrcatng the House
from its embarrassment. Many Of III, most ia
dIcious members had AL dressed the House in
vain, aud there was nothing but confusion and
disorder IN rosp ct.
The fourth div opened and still confusion aud
disorder were triumphant. But the hour of dis
enthrailmen; was at hand, and a scene WAS pre-
srnied which sent the mind back to the dav,
when Cromwell uttered tn exclamafon-"S Sir
Harry Nanr Woe unto YOU, Sir II rrv Vane"
and in an instant dispersed the famous rump par
lamrnt
MIR Adams, from the opening of this scene or
coniusion and anarchy, had maintained u pro-
tound silence lie appeared to be engaged must
OF the time in writing To a common observer
he seemed 10 be reckless of everything around
him but nothing, not the slightest incident, cs-
capped him. The fourth day Of the struggle had
now commenced; Mr. Hugh ii. Garaud. the
clerk, was directed to call the roll again
lie commenced with Maine as was usual those
days, and was proceeding toward Massachusetts
turned. and saw that Mr. Adams is ready to
get the floor al the earliest moment possible
Ills keen eye was iyeted On the clerk lli> hands
claspcd the front edge of his desk, wheic he al
ways placed them to assist him in rising He
looked, IN the language of Otway, like the
"--Fowler, eager Tor lis prey
New Jersey circulated Mr. Hugh II. Gar
land, and the clerk has TO repeat that
MIR Adams sprang to the floor
i rise 10 interrupt the clerk, was his frs cac-
ulaliOd.
'Scnce-silenc rcsnunled throuah the hall
Hear him-hrar linn Hear what he has to say
Hear John Quincy Adams = were the unanimous
CALCULATIONS on all sides
In an instant, the most profound silcnre reign
ed throughout the hIll-you might have heard
leaf Of paper fall in my part of it-and every
Eye was riveied on the venerahn Ncsior of Mass
arhuselts-the pure of statesmen aud the 10.
best of men lie paused for moment aud,
having given Mr. Garland
"a wlthering look"
he proceeded to address the multitude.
1T was not my intention said he, to take any
part in these extraordinary proceedings. | had
hoped that THIS House would succeed in organ
izlng itself; that a speaker and clerk would be
elected, and thai the ordinary business of legis-
aon would he progressed in, This is not the
4 ,l, Al. Al
ing claimants lor seats from New jersey; that
subject belongs tn the House of Representatives,
which, uy the constitution, is made the ultimate
arbteI OF the qualification of its members But
what II spectacle we here present We cdegrade
and disgrace ourselye, we degrade and disgrace
our constituents and the country. We do not
aul cannot organize, aud why ? Because the
clerk Of this House, the mere clerk. whom We
create, whom we employ, and whose existence
depends upon our VII, usurps The throne, and
sets US, the representatives, the vice renenis of
the whole American people, at defiance, and
holds us in contempt And what is this clerk of
yours! Is he 10 suspend, by his mere negative,
the functions OF government, aud put an end to
this Congress lie refuses to rall the roll 1t
is in your power to compel him to call it, if he
will not do il Voluntarily.
Here he was interrupted by member who
cou not reach the clerk, who vowed he would
resign rather than call the State of New Jersey. I
We'll, sir, let him resign, continued Mr. Ad-
ans, 'and we may posslhly discover some way by
which we may get along without The aid OF his
all-pnweriul talent, learning and genius Ii we
cannot organize in any oth,r way--f this clerk
Of ynurs will not consent to our discharging he
trusts ronfd'd To us by our conslitucnis-then
let us initiate the example of the Virginia House
of Burgrsses, VIII ch, when the colonial governor
Didwidd q ordered it 10 disper,e, refused to obey
the impcrous and insulting mandlte and Ike
mcn--'
The multitude could not c,nan or repress
iher enthusiasm any longer, but saluted The elo-
qucnt and indignant speaker, and interrupted
him with loud AMI deafening cheers, which seem
ed TO shake the capitol TO its center The very
gcnii OF applause AMI enthusiasm seemed TO float
in the atmosphere Of the hail, aud every heart
expanded with an indrscrbable feeling Of pride
and exulhton. The turmoil, the darkness, the
very chaos of anarchy, which had for three days
p.rvaded he American Congress, was dispeIled
by The magic, the lalismanic influence of single
man, and once more the wheels of government
were set IN morton.
Having by this powerful appeal brought the
vet unorganized assembly TO perception of its
hazardous position, he submitted a motion requir-