St. Cloud visiter [sic]. [volume] (St. Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1857-1858, 1858-07-22

true civilization, go hand in hand with om
arts, our laws, our physical growth then
the land will blossom as the rose-then w
may build up an empire chat shall defy the
ravages of time.
CONGRESS s1ONAL REM1NIsCENsE.
The Albany Evening Journal, in an in
teresting sketch of scenes and incidents
that occurred in the old Representatives
ual1, thus describes one Of the warmest
and most memorable occasions ever witnes-
sed in that Hall:
The Right If Petition was early put in
issue by that persistent 1ody OF men, the
4a,lical Abolitionist, whose convictions of
'Luty no fire Of prosecutions was able to
burn out Of them. 1t is a curious fact
that the first modern memorial respecting
Slavery, ever presented to The House Of
Representatives, was the proceedings of a
a meeting in Utica, New York, depreca-
ting the agitation Of this subject! It was
offered by Judge Beardly, then in Congress,
in the opening days Of the session Of 1854
IS. John Dickson, of Ontario county,
New York, in January, 1835-just afteZ
the reception Of the Utica memorial-pre.
scutcd petition for the abolition Of slav-
cry il: the District of Columbia. He ad-
vocated its prayer in an able speech
This was the first gentle zephyr of the ap-
proachiug storm which ultimately swelled
into tempest that ragged in the House
with undated fury for many years. The
earliest defenders Of the rig int of petition
were sMessrs-=Diokeen, of New York,
Phillips and jackson, Of Massachusetts,,
and Slade, Of Vermont. Resort was still
had to the Gag Rule, which, as the food
Of memorials began to increase in volume,
was finally incorporated amonS the stand
ing rules Of the House.
These tyrannical measures aroused the
ire Of John Quincy Adams, who soon be-
came the leading champion Of the right of
petition. His great age, his eminent SER
vice, his persistent courage, his skill in de-
bate, at once elevated the CONTROVERSY to
a commanding position before the country.
During the session of 1873 aud g his
desk was loaded with heaps of anti-slavery
memorials from all the free States. Every
petition-day witnessed graphic scene, as
the old man deliberately presented one me
mortal after another, taking most provoking
pains TO make a brief statement Of each as
he 1ai,ded it over to the little page, to be
ultimately consigned by the clerk to some
dark cell in the vaults Of the Capitol.
On the 18th Of January, 1887, the
House adopted the usual rule to lay anti
slavery petitions on the table; this being
denominated '"Hawes Gag" to Distinguish
it from the "Patent Gag" and the oath
erton Gag"
On Monday, the 9Th Of February, 1887,
MIR. Adams having occupied an hour Of
more in exhausting his pile Of anti-slavery
memorials, paused, and looked significant
ly at Mr.. Speaker Polk, said, ri hold in
my hand paper purporting to be peti-
ton from certain slaves. IF I should pre-.
sent it to the House, would it go Oh the
! table under the order Of the 18th of Jan1:
s:yT The speaker seemed bewildered
; and had time to stammer out something
about the gravity Of the question, when
The entire pro-slaye.y side Of the chambe,
exploded with the most intense wrath
eLet him be expelled ~ screamed score
of voices. "Expel the traitorw shouted
Dixon H. Lewis, whose huge body, weigh
ing five hundred pounds averdupois, cam.
vaddling and wheezing down the aisl.
towards the clerks desk. The whole
corps Of Oligarchs were on their feet
screaming, swearing, gesticulating like de
mons. Quick as thought resolutions wer'
prepared for the expulsion of Mr.. Adams
based on the assumption that he had pre-
sented petition from slaves for the aboli
j ton Of slavery. 2.a :.
Ere they were fairly before the House
they were offered in a modified form b,
Mr.. Waddy Thompson, now demandin;
the severest censure rather than expulsion
Thereupon the debate began. It rage'
violently three days. Thompson; broom
A goole, Wise, Underwood, leading off fon
4 the slaveocracy, while, Lincoln, Cushing
I Phillips, Granger and others, defende'
4 Adams. During the heig htofthetempest
the rotunda; the galleries, the passagesto
the Capitol being filed with an excite'
throng, the colleagues and friends Of Mi
: Adams felt great anxiety, not only for hi
fate in the House, but for bis persona
safety. Meonwhile the resolutions wer