The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1857-12-10

THE OLD MAN ELOQUENT.
nY IN oLD coLoNY MAN.

BY AN OLD COLONY MAN.
On the opening Of the XXVTth
! Congress in December, 1889, in conse-
quonce Of a two-fold delegation from
New jersey the House was unable, for
some time, to complete its organization,
and presented to the country and the
world the porilous and discroditable as
poot of the assembled representatives
Of the people, unable 20 form them
selves into a constitutional body. On
first assembling, the House has no Off
GERS, and the Clerk Of the preceding
Congress acts, by usage, as chairman Of
the body till Speaker is chosen. On
this occasion, after reaching the State
of New Jersey, the acting Clerk de-
clinod to proceed in calling the roll, and
refused TO entertain any of the motions
which we're made for the purpose of OK
Treating the House from its embarrass.
mont. Many of the abIcst and most iu-
dicious members had addressed the
House in vain, and there was nothing
but confusion and disorder in pros
ipect.
The fourth day opened, and st'll con-
fusion was triumphant But the hour
of disenthrallment was at hand and q
scene was presented which sent the
mind back to those days when Cromwell
uttered the exclamation -"Sir Harry
Vano woe unto you, Sir Harry Vanep
and in an instant dispersed tho famous
Rump Parliament
Mr. Adams, from the opening Of this
scene of confusion and anarchy, had
maintained a profound silence. He APP
peared to be engaged most Of the time
in writing. To a common observer, he
seemed to be reckless Of everything
,around him; but nothing, not the slight
est 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 Maitc, as usual
in those days, and was proceeding to-
wards Massachusetts. I turned, and
saw that Mr. Adams was ready TO get
the floor at the earliest moment posi-
BILE. His keen eye was riyoted on the
Clerk; his hands claspod the front edge
Of his desk where he always placed
them to assist him in rising lie look
cd, in the language Of Otway, like the
"-rowlor eager for his pray."
: "New Jersey" ejaculatod Mr.. Hugh
II. Garland, "and the Clerk who has to
repeat that"
Mr.. Adams sprang to the floor!
81 rise to interrupt the Clerk was
his first ejaculation.
"Silenco--silcnce!' resounded through
S the hall CLEAR him-hear hint
] CLEAR what he has to say.' "Hoal
John Quincy Adams were the unani.
nous calculations on all sides
Tn an instant the most profound 81
2 lencc rcigned throughout the halI-you
might have heard leaf Of paper fall in
any part of it--and every eye was rivet
, ed on the venerable Nestor Of Massa
chusctts--the purcst of statesmen ant
- the noblcst of mcnl He paused for a
n moment; and, having given Mr.. Gar,
! land
- whitening look"
" he proceeded to address the multitude
C 1T was not my Intention said he
l.. ''to take any part in these extraordinary
proceedings. 1 had hoped that this
House would succeed in organizing it
self; that Speaker and Clerk woulc
d be elected, and that the ordinary bust
n ness Of legislation would be progressed
in. This is not the time, or place, tt
discuss the merits of the conflicting
claimants for seats from New Jersey
that subject belongs to the House OF
Representatives, which, by the Constitu
ton, is made the ultimate arbiter Of tn
qualifications Of its members. Blu
what a spectacle we here present. w
degrade and disgrace ourselves; we dc
grade and disgrace our constituents AM
the country. We do not, and cauuo
y organize; and why? Because the Cler
- Of this House, the mere Clerk, whor
it we create, whom we employ, and who's
existence depends upon our will, usurp
! the throne, and sets us, the representa-
W tives, the vicegerontsO Of the whole Amer
es lean people, at defiance, and holds us i
contempt And what is this Clerk o
he yours? Is he to suspend, by his mer
% negative, the functions of Governmen
w and put an end to this Congress? II
r. refuses to call the ROLL 1t is in you
&c power to compel him to call it, if h
will not do it voluntarily"
a. Here he was interrupted by men
" Der, who said that he was authorized
say that compulsion could not reach IL
ch Clerk, who had avowod that he woul
resign rather than call the State Of Ne
~ Jersey.
nd "Well, sir, let him resign, continue
Mr. Adams, "and we may possibly di
M cover some way by which we can g
,yt along, without the aid Of his all-powe
full talent learning, and genius If v
e5 cannot organize in any other way
this Clerk of yours will not consent
our discharging the trusts confded to I
by our constituonts-thcn let us imita
the example Of the Virginia Rouse O
ii. Burgesses, which, when the coloni
CT, Governor Dinwiddie ordered it to di
on perse, refused to obey the imperiol
ur and insulting mandate; and, Lke mel" p
The multitude could not contain
% repress their enthusiasm any longc
~ but saluted the eloquent aud indignai
'' speaker, and interrupted him with lou
N and dealening cheers, which seemed
p" shake the capitol to its center IN
very genii Of applause and enthusias
lid seemed to float in the atmosphere of h