Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1857-12-12
An Incident in the life Of J. @. Adams

An Incident in the life of J q. Adams
On the opening Of the Twenty
Sixth Congress in December, 1899,
in consequence of two-told dele
CATION from New Jersey, the House
was unable for some time to com
plete its organization, and present
ed to the country, and the world.
the perilous and discreditable as
pect Of the assembled Representa-
tives of the people unable to form
themselves INTO constitutional
body. On first assembling, the
House had no officers, and the clerk
Of the preceding Congress acts, by
usage, as chairman Of the body till
Speaker is chosen. On this oc-
casion, after reaching The State Of
New jersey, the acting clerk de-
clined to proceed in calling the roll
and refused to entert in any Of the
motions which We're made for the
purpose Of extricationg the House
from its embarrasments. Many Of
the able and most judicious mem
bers had addressed the House in
vain, and there was nothing but
confusion and disorder in prospect.
| The fourth day opened, and still
confusion was triumphant. Mr..
Adams from the beginning Of this
scene Of confusion and anarchy, had
maintained a profound silercc.-
He appeared to be engaged most
of the time writing. To common
observer. he seemed to be reckless
of everything around him; but
nothing, not the slightest incident
escaped him. The fourth day OF
the struggle had now commenced :;
Mr.. Hugh II. Garland, the clerk,
was directed to call the roll again.
He commenced with Maine, as
usual in those days, and was pro
ceeded towards New Jersey. |
turned and saw that Mr.. Adams
was ready to get the floor at the
earliest period possible, as soon as
that Sta,e was called. His keen
eye was rivited on the clerk: his
hands clasped the front edge Of his
desk, where he always placed them
to assist him in rising.
New jersey. CALCULATED Mr..
Hugh II. Garland, and the clerk
has to repeat that
Mr.. Adams sprang to the floor :
! rise to interrupt the clerk, was
his first ejaculation.
"Silence. silence" rasounded
through the hall. ''llear him. hear
hin-hear what he has to say
hear John Quincy Adams! !" was
the unanimous ejaculation on all
sides.
In an instant the most profound
silence reigned throughout the hall
and every eye was rivited on the
venerable member from Massachu-
sets. He paused for moment.
and having given Mr.. Garland a
whitening look, he proceeded to ad-
dress the House:
"It was not my intention,' said
he, "to take any part in these ex.
traordinary proceedings. | had
hoped that this House would sue
ceed in organizing itself, that q
Speaker and Clerk would be elect
ed, and that the ordinary business
of legislation would be progressed
in. This is not the time or place
to discuss the merits Of the conflict
ing claimants for seats from New
Jersey; that subject belongs to the
House of Representatives, which
by the Constitution, is made the
ultimate arbiter Of the qualification
of its members. But what spec
tacle we here present! We degrade
and disgrace ourselves; we degrade
, and disgrace our constituents ano
f the country. We do not and can
, not organize, and whya Because
, the Clerk Of this House, the mere
Clerk, whom we create, whom We
employ, and whose existence dep
ends upon our will, usurps the
throne, and sets us, the Represen
tatives, the vicegerent Of thewhole
American people, at defiance, and
holds us in contempt! And what
is this Clerk Of yours? Is he tc
suspend, by his mere negative, the
functions Of government and put