Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-02-03
G0mtestrr 9ailp Spg.

De interesting ana instructive to look back upon
the history of that body twenty years ago.
Those who suppose that the present threaten
ing and unfortunate condition of the House.
owing to its non-electon of presiding officer,
is new thing, are mistaken.
On the opening OF the 10Th Congress- in De-
cember 1889, a two-told delegation from New
Jersey appeared, and each claimed seats As
customary then, and now, the clerk of the pre-
ceding body was officiating as presiding officer
before the election of Speaker. From some
motive, or stupidity and stubborness the act
ing clerk, In calling the roll of members, upon
coming to New Jersey, invariably refused to
proceed with the call He also declined to en-
terrain any of the motions made with view
to eXtricate the House from its ditfiulty. Many
OF the Oldest and ablest members had address
ed the House in vain. Nothing but confusion
and disorder existed.
The fourth day had opened with prospect
of a continuance OF the same state of affairs.
We quote from the life of John Quincy
Adams:
"AIr. Adams, from the opening of this scene
of confusion and anarchy, had maintained a
profound silence. He appeared to be engaged
most of the time in writing. To common
observer, he seemed to be reckless of every
thing around him-but nothing, not the slight.
est incident escaped him. The fourth day of
the struggle had commenced; Mr.. Hugh II.
Garland, the clerk, was directed to call the
roll again.
He commenced with Maine, as was usual in
those days, and proceeded towards Massachu-
sets. ! turned, and saw that Mr. Adams was
ready to get the floor at the earliest moment
possible. 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. lie looked, in the language Of
Otway, like the
-"fowler eager for his prey.n
"New Jersey!" calculated Mr.. Hugh H.
Garland, "and the Clerk has to repeat that"
Mr. Adams sprang to the floor
II rise to interrupt the Clerk, was his first
ejaculation.
"Silence, silence" resounded through the
hall "hear him, hear him Hear what he
has to say; hear John Quincy Adams p was
the unanimous ejaculation on all sides.
In an instant the most profound silence
reigned throughout the haIl-you might have
heard leaf of paper fall in any part Of it-and
every eye was riveted on the venerable Nest0r
of Massachusetts-the purest OF statesmen,
and the nobleSt Of men He paused for mo
ment, and, having given Mr.. Garland
Ga whitening look"
he proceeded to address the multitude
1T was not my intention, said he, "to take
any part in these extraordinary proceedings.
I had hoped that this House would succeed IN
organizing itself; that Speaker and Clerk
would be elected, and that the ordinary bus
mess of legislation would be progressed ill.,
This is not the time or place to discuss the
merits Of the conflicting claimants for seats
from New jersey that subject belongs to the
House which, by the constitution, is made
the ultimate arbiter of the qualifications of
its members. But what a spectacle we here
present! We degrade and disgrace our.
selves we degrade and disgrace our constit
uents and the country. We do not, and can
not organize, and why ? Because the Clerk
of this House, the mere Clerk, whom we ere
ate and whom we employ, and whose exist.
ence depends upon our will, usurps the throne
and sets us, the representatives, the viceger-
ents of the whole American people at defiance,
and holds us in contempt! And what is this
clerk of yours Is he to control the destnics
of sixteen millions of treemen Is he to sus-
pend, by his mere negative, the functions of
government, and put an end to this Congress
He refuses to call the roll 1t is in your DOW.
er to compel him to call it, if he will not do it
voluntarily. Here he was interrupted by
member, who said he was authorized to say
that cOmpulsion could not reach the clerk who
had avowed that he would resign rather than
call the state of New Jersey. Well, sir, then
let him resign, continued Mr.. Adams, "and
we may possibly discover some way by which
we can get along without the aid Of his all
powerful talent, learning, and genius. If we
cannot organize in any other way-if this clerk
of yours will not consent to our discharging
the trusts contded to us by our constituents
then let us initiate the example of the Virginia
House Of Burgesses, which, when the colonial
Governor Dinwiddie ordered it to dispense, re-
fused to obey the imperious and insulting man
date, and, like men
nI,o 10
their enthusiasm any longer, but salutcd the
eloquent and indignant speaker, and interrupt.
ed him with loud and deatening cheers, which
seemed to shake the capitol from its center
The very genli OF applause and enthusiasm
seemed TO float III the atmosphere of the hall
and every breast expanded with an indescrib-
able feeling OF pride and EMULATION. The tur-
moi the darkness, the very "chaos of an
archy," which had, for three successive days
pervaded the American Congress, was dispell.
ed by the magic, the talismanic eloquence of
single man and, once more, the wheels of
government and legislation were put in motion.
Having, by this powerful appeal, brought
the yet unorganzed assembly to a perception
of its hazardous position, he submitted a reso-
luton requiring the acting clerk to proce ed in
calling the roll This, and similar motions,
had already been made by other members
The difficulty was that the acting clerk de.
cllned to entertain Them Accordingly, Mr..
Adams was Immediately interrupted by a
burst of voices demanding How shall the
question be put q who will put the question q
The voice OF Mr.. Adams was heard above the
tumult, 4 will put the question myself That
word brought order out of chaos. There was
the master mind"
AS soon as the multitude had recovered it
self, and the excitement of irrepressible en-
thusiasm had abated, Mr.. Richard Bamwell
Rhett of South Carolina, leaped upon one of
the desks, and waived his hand, and ex-
claimed:
al move that the Honorable John Quincy
Adams take the chair of the Speaker Of this
House, and oficiate as presiding officer till the
House be organized by the election of its con-
stitutional officers AS many as are agreed to
this will say dye-these-"
He had not an opportunity to complete the
sentence-"those who are not agreed will say
no" for one universal, deafening, laundering
dye responded to the nomination.
Hereupon it was moved and ordered that
Lewis Williams, of North Carolina, and Rich.
ard Barnwell Rhett conduct John Quincy Adj
ans to the chair.
Well, did Mr. Wise, of Virginia, say "Slr,
l regard it as the proudest day of my life ;
and if, when you shall be gathered to your
fathers, | were asked to select words which, in
my judgment, are best calculated to give at
once the character of the man, / would in
scribe upon your tomb this sentencc-I will
put the question myself