The Shasta courier., 1864-04-30
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.
His Election by the House of Represent
atives--A Thu iiling Scene,

atiyes--A Thu illing Scene,
I The struggle for the vacant Presidential
chair shook the Union it kindled strifes and
gave birth to parties which are aot yet ex-
tinct among us; with these it is not my pro-
| vince nor my purpose to meddle; but it was
my lot to witness the issue of the contest.
when it came to its head. and was decided,
| blow for blow, on the high places of the field.
The Hall of the House of Representatives
exhibited on that eventful day such sYsecta-
Gle as was never before witnessed in this
country, such as the world never saw. There
| being three candidates for the Presidency,
and neither of them having received the con-
stitutional majority giving him title to the
| Office, that crisis had arrived which, in all
other countries, has been decided by the
sword but which, having been contemplated
as possible by that band of inspired men
! INSPIRED surely they were. with wisdom not
their own who framed our happy govern
ment. has been provided for by the peaceful
expedent of taking the choice out of the i'm
mediate hands of the people, and committing
it to their own representatives, acting, not
as one amalgamated body, but in their sep
arate capacity, as the delegation of the re.
spective States; each united delegation cast
ing one vote.
As the day appointed for the election ap-
preached, the excitement of the public mind
became intense. Washington was crowded.
Nightly caucuses, and the most anxious cal
/ culations occupied the leading men of each
of the three parties. So evenly were they
balanced, that after the most exact scrutiny
had been gone through with, after the prob
able vote Of each individual man had been set
nd
the whole result depended on his individual
suffrage, it was concluded that the result
would very possibly turn on single vote !;
and when the morning of decision had actu
ally come, it was very generally understood
that that vote was in the hands of a wealthy,
upright, amiable, but not very firm or vigor
Gus, member of the New York delegation. =
He had given his promise to vote for Mr..
Adams but the eager, agitating, anxious
question was whether he would remain firm
to that pledge.
The hall was prepared for the process of
the election by placing seats for the respect
i've State delegations, each having its sepa-
rate table, in the semi circular open space in
front of the Clerks table. Before the hour
for taking their seats had arrived, they were
to be seen walking about in little groups.
earnestly conversing in a low tone, every
mind being occupied in the result of the cleo
ton. Each party was sanguine of success.
Bets were staked to large amount. The
most confident predictions were uttered, and
by some of the excited and most unscrupu
lous partisans without, most ferocous threats
were uttered. A second Missouri contest was
expected. None counted on less than forty
or fifty ballottings some said the election
would occupy weeks. perhaps months; while
others went so far as to say that no choice
would be made; but Congress would break
up in a row. To patriotic mind it seemed
as if all the evil powers who sought the ruin
of free government had gathered together at
Washington, and were hurting through the
troubled air. Many persons carried conceal
ed weapons, as expecting some violent out
break. The bar rooms of hotels and eating
houses were crowded with guests, whose as
pect boded no good to the country, or the
peaceful progress of free government Many
heart that loved American regulated free
dom trembled in view of the untried expert
ment now for the first time attempted
Amidst auguries the day of election came
Every avenue leading to the Capitol was fill
ed with people, all whose faces looked in one
direction, and were filled with one common
expression of grave and interested curiosity
Into the galleries which surround and over
look the Hall of Representatives not an addi
tional human being could by any possibility
be forced, and the staireases, quite out of sight
and hearing of what was passing within,
were crammed with watching multitudes.
hoping against hope, to gain, by some good
chance, or 10y dint of patience and of physical
strength. glimpse, at least, of the exciting
scene.
1t had been proposed, in debate, on the day
previous, during the election, that the gale
rles of the hall should be closed. as thev
could, at best, accommodate but handful
OF those who were anxious to witness the
scene; but Mr.. McDufhe then prominent
member of the House) warmly denied the
right OF Congress to exclude the people from
witnessing. If they so pleased, the acts of
their own representatives, in a matter espe
elaliy so vitality affecting them all. And when
1t was suggested that the admission of so great
and so excited crowd would inevitably be
productive of disorder, he sprang up, and in
tones which echoed through the hall anil gal
leries, pledged himself for - the orderly de
pertinent of the PEOPLE while looking on
such scene His appeal was too popular
to be successfully resisted. and the doors
were thrown open accordingly. 1t was an
side the bar, land into which none are ad-
mitted but privileged persons, whose right is
specified by law as well as the loqia. or
open area, behind the columns in the rear of
the Speakers seat, were filed with members
OF the Senate, ex-Governors of States, militia
ry and naval officers. those only, however,
who had received votes of thanks from Con-
gress for meritorious service, foreign minis
ters and their attaches ,Juiras of tho Snnrap,a
Court-in word, with ali whose envied dis
tnctlon 1t was to pass the vigilant scrutiny of
the door keepers, now doubly yigilant, and
all upon qiti riue. A restless movement of
the members within the bar and general
murmur, ike the alarmed hum of bees when
their hive is disturbed. gave notice of the state
OF feyerlsh anxiety which prevailed through
ont that body. Could anv revealing spirit
have opened TO human view the hopes, the
fears, the boiling passions which tumultuated
within those fierce bosoms, how would the