Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-01-16

turbulent moods. Half the members ere on
their feet shouting to the Speaker. Our eyes
fell upon Mr.. Adams lie was sitting in his us
ual seat, apparently calm and unmoyed by the
turnult around him. Instantly he turned very
pallid, his lips moved, his hand nervousy grasp
ed his desk. We thought he was trying TO arse
and address the Chair. A moment afterwards
his body began to incline over upon the left arm
of his seat, bis head dropping upon his breast.
One cried out to a member near him, Look to
MIR. Adams--he is fallingW The attention of
the assembly was arresled-the uproar ceased
members sprang towards the dying salesman
the House adjourned and the venerable Sage
was borne apparently lifeless to the Speakers
room. Lihe Nelson, his spirit ebbed, his life
went out amid the roar of battle so familiar, so
musical to his ear. Not to compare him with
vulgar heroes, he was stricken down like Chat
ham in the plentitude Of his fame, on the theatre
of his greatest achievements and he died under
the dome of the Capitol which so often had ech-
oed his eloquence and witnessed his immort i
deeds.
"Clarum ct venerable nomen,
Gentibus, ct multum nostre quod proderat urbi."
The treason trial Of Mr.. Adams reminds one
of the censure Of Joshua K. Giddines, later in
the same session, for vcnturing to offer in the
House some moderate Anti-Slavery resolutions.
Ills resignation, his triumphant reelection, are
freshly remembered. Truly, the present Faith
er OF the House may say, "Times change, and
men change with them!'
Inc Old Hall, of which we write, is not SOLE
y consecrated 10 the heroic and the sublime.
The ludicrous and the facetious have laid their
gifts there. Among the richest of these was
lom Corwins reply to a pompous brigadier-
general OF militia from Michigan. Crary had en-
tered into minute military criticism Of some of
fiarrlson's battles in the war of lSl2Il5, to
prove iarrisons incapacity for command. Cor
win responded in his bappiest vein. Address
ing himself to 1.-The TWO hundred colonels majors
and captains, or less, on this floor" Corwin
proceeded 10 describe muster of Michigan mi
lItia, with Brigadier Crary in command The
various evolutOns and contortions OF this line so
that the soldiers might enjoy "the outrageous
shadows OF the shady trees the ominous gath
erng IN the heavens about noon-the willing
shower-the scattering Of the troops-their vo.
racious charge near nightfall the thirsty Crary
leading the hungry column upon the adjacent
~hiskey shops, watermelon booths and ginger
bread stands-the inermingled illusions to Steu-
ben's work on military tactics, Vaughn's on en-
glneerlng, to Alexander and the Great Freder-
lck-were all given in language and tone so ex-
quisitely ludlcrous, that for an hour and half
the House screamed with laughter, while poor
Crary escaped 10 one of the adjoining committee
rooms The next day, Mr. Adams brought
down the House by speaking of Gen. Crary as
'''he late member from Michigan"
! The country remembers, and the histori an
will record the famous financial battles which
have been fought in the Old Hail. The Sub
Ireasury-the exciting scenes of the extra sess-
ION under the Tyler dynasiy-the imperious
bearing of Clay-lhe vetoes of the incensed Vir-
glnian-the sturdy defence of the President of
1.-The Guard 30 called, in the House. which con-
sisted of Wise aud Gushing. and half dozen
lesser men, all Of whom secured fat offices for
themselves and lean places for their followers
the Protective Tariff of lS42-he Bankrupt
Act, by which debtors paid off their obligations
IN paper currency most unsatisfactory TO their
creditors-the Free Trade Tariff of SAC. and
cognate questions, afforded for many years an
ample field for great displays of politco. econo.
mical eloquence.
Members of the House will recollect how of.
Ten, during the long session of 1916, the dapper
Secretary Of the Treasury was seen in consui,a-
ton with the rugged old Chairman of the Com
mitlee of Ways and Means, Mr. Mckay, of
North Carolina, whose sturdy sense and skilful
leadership carried through the Tariff bill of that
| year.
Despite these financial measures, these none.
tary crises the eternal conflict between Free
dom and Slavery still went on. The Annexa-
ton OF Texas. the consequent war with Mexico,
the acquisition OF new territories, and the con-
tests OF S4S and 1850 in regard 10 the nature
OF the civil and social institutions which should
be established in these territories, bring this
rambling sketch down to the eve of that greatest
OF all events in this protrac,ed struggle, the ov-
erthrow of the Missouri Compromise. We will
pause here moment TO refresh our own :ecol-
lection of the rich scenes in the House, in the
winter OF lS4S, when Wmot gave Father Ritch-
le, then Editor OF the Union, a terrible haying
Tor attempting to read him out of the Democrat
ic party, Tor moving as an amendment TO the
money bill his Proviso Of immortal memory
As the luddv, robust representative of the free
hills of old Bradford was making the Hall ring
with the blows he was dwelling at the saIlow,
lank Virglnlsn, the latter was fitting around the
lobby, dodsing behind this column. peerine ner-
vously through that Granny in the screen, and
looking for all the world like lost spirit strun-
Cling to escape from purgatory.
| But enough, aye, too much of this At some
future time, should opportunity occur, we NAV
sketch some incidents in that recent contest al
luded 10, still fresh in the general recollection
yea and sfM going on, though its din will no
more disturb the solemn repose OF the old Hall
which witnessed its opening scenes. Those vet
unparalleled Congressional contests-that of
1920 which resulted in adopting the Missouri
Compromise, and that of 1854 which ended in
its repeal, both transpirng within this celebrated
Chamber, would afford rare subjects for the pen
Gil of the painter, the Tyre of the poet, and the
pen of the historian. So too would many in
cdents in that ever changing drama, which op-
ened with the defence of the Rights OF the I'm
ion by John Q. Adams in 1895, and which, twen-
ty years thereafter, saw the closing scene of its
first act in the crowning glory of elevatng Ma
thaniel z. Banks to the Speakers Char
Ihrty-eight years ago, thu Representatives of
eighteen States, led by Henry Clay of impersh-
able fame took their seats in this historic Hall.
During that period, what changes has it seen at
home ard abroad Thirty-one States sitting
around the National Council Board, while 9th,
ers lying at the base Of the Rocky Mountains
and standing beyond the crest of the Sierra Ne
vada, demand admission to the Union: A Re-
publican Empire founded on the Pacific, larger
than that which Washington won, richer than
any which Caesar ever conquered Every throne
in Europe twice shaken to their foundations
Two revolutions in France: The death of Ma
poleon; the restoration of his line the final ex-
tinction of the Bourbons; England destroying
her rotten borodghs, reforming her Parliamen-
tary representation, repeating her test acts eman-