Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-04-06
Gitp amb County Smtelligtrtt

Mr.. GIDDINGs's LEcrURE.-The citizens of
Worcester have rarely been gratifed with so
good and instructive an entertainment as was
afforded them last evening, in the lecture Of
Hon. Joshua R. Giddings, on the ''Trial Of
John Quincy Adams before the House of Rep
resentatives." Mechanics Hall was not SO
well filed as it should have been, yet there
was large and respectable audience, compris-
ing many of our most substantial citizens, who
manifested their approval of the noble senti-
ments advanced by repeated and enthusiastic
applause. AS the stalwart veteran of 20 years
service in the anti-slavery warfare in Congress,
assembled the platform, he was greeted with a
most cordial welcome from the audience. Mr..
Giddings was introduced by Hon. Henry Cha
pin in a neat and appropriate speech
Mr.. Giddings commenced by speaking of
the Indifference and degradation of public sem
the time the contest for the right of petition
was fought. He showed, in a graphic and ear
nest manner, how the most fearful crimes were
perpetrated by our government for the support
and perpetuation of slavery, while not men,
Der of Congress lifted his voice in protest or
rebuke; how the clergy connived at the most
brutal and atrocious inhumanity; how the
North rested under spell without courage to
protest or resist and how the freedom of
speech was suppressed III Congress and in
most of the States. The trial of John Quincy
Adams occurred during this period of the de-
graduation Of the public conscience. Mr.. Gid
dings portrayed with much power the learning,
character, and craftsmanship of the cold man
eloquent" and the heroic manner in which he
withstood and triumphed over the storm.
Long before this crisis arrived, Mr.. Adams
had maintained the doctrine that the people
were sovereigns, and that Congress was bound
to hear and answer respectfully all their petit
tons Shareholders took the opposite ground,
and laid his petitions on the table. Under
these circumstances, Mr.. Adams presented
petition from certain citizens of Haverhill,
Mass, in which, after reciting the facts then
and since known to the whole civilized world,
they prayed Congress to take measures for the
peaceabe dissolution of the Union. He pre-
scented this resolution with a motion that a
committee be appointed to state to the petition
ers the reasons why their prayer could not be
granted For this he was assaulted with the ut
most violence by the slaveholding interest.
They pronounced him guilty of high treason,
and in secret caucus determined to pass a res
olution pronouncing on him the severest CEN
sure of the House. The lecturers narrative of
the progress and result of this struggle was ex-
ceedingly interesting and eloquent. The ter
rible severity with which Adams returned
blow for blow, from the beginning of the strug-
gle to the end, driving his assailants, one
after another from the field, and then with in
vincible courage renewing his assault upon
the system of slavery itself was admirably
presented. The shareholders, unable to bear
his assaults, and finding that they were en-
gagged in a feast to which they had not been
invited, themselves moved and voted to Law
their own resolutions of censure on the table,
rather than listen longer to the telling truths
that fell from the lips of John Quincy Adams.
The lecture occupied about an hour and a
half of the evening, and was greeted at the
close with demonstrations of applause.