Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1864-06-18
John Quincy Adams.
"0" VI HVI'VNVH
a THRILLING srENT.

ana gave birth To parties which are not We
extinct among us with these it is not m,
province nor my purpose to meddle; but /
was my lot TO witness the issue Of the con
test when II came 10 its head aud was de
clded, blow for blow, on the high places o
the field. The hall Of the House Of Repre-
scntativcS, exhibited on that eycnttnl day
such spectacle rs has never been wilucs
scd in this country such as the world ncyel
saw, There being three candidates for th,
Presidency, and neither OF them having re
ceircd the constitutional majority givine
him a title to the Office that crisis had ar
rived which, in all other countries has beer
decided by the sword but which. haviuo
been contemplated rs possible by that band
Of inspired men dnspircd they surely were
with aWiNdOm not their OWN who framed
1 our happy government, has been provided
/ for by the peaceful eNpcdic~ Of taking the
choice out of the immediate hands of the
pcoP,S and committing it to their own rep
+ resentiaVcs, acting, not rs one onoamalgamattd
body, but in their separate capacity, rs the
g delegation OF the respective States each
delegation casting one vote.
As the day appointed for the election ap-
proachcd, the excitement of the public mind
became intcIsc Washington was crowded.
Nightly cawusos, and the most anxious ca
cula'ions 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 downwith rs much caution and care rs
If the Whole result depended on his indiyid
uaI suffrage it was concluded that the re-
suit would very possibly turn ON single
vote and when the morning Of decision
had actually come, il was very generally
understood that that vote was in the hands
Of a wealthy, upright, amiablc, but not very
llrm pr vigorous, member OF the New York
delegation, He had given hi, promise TO
vote for Mr. Adams; but the eager, agita.
ting. 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 rcspcc-
tive state delegations, each having its sepa-
rate table, in the scm-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 "pnverSlnT in lU,v tone,
every NINA bong occupied IN the result OF
the election. Each party was sanguinc of
success Bets were stakcd TO 4 largo amount.
The most confident predictions were uttered,
and by some Of the excited and most uuscru
pulous partizans without, most ltrocious
threats were uttered 4 s.,ond Missouri
contest WAS expected. None counted ON
less than forty or fifty baIotings; 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 r0W To patriotic
mind it seemed as if all the evil powers who
gathered together at Washington, aud were
hurting through the troubled air. Many
persons carried concealed weapons, as cx-
pecting some violent outbreak. The bar
rooms Of hotels and eating houses were
crowded with guests, whose aspect bodcd
no good to the country, or the peaceful
progress Of It's government. Many n heart
that loved American regulated freedom
trcmblcd in view Of the untricd experiment
now for the first time to be attempted
Amidst auguries the day Of election came
Every avenue leading to the Capitol was
filled with people all whose faces looked in
one direction, and We're filed with one COM
mon expression of grave and interested Gu
rosty Into the galleries which surround
and overlook the Hall Of Representatives
not an additional human being could byany
possibility be forced, and the staircase, quite
out Of sight and hearing Of what was pass
ing within, were crammcd with watching
multitudes, hoping against hope, TO gain, by
some good chance or by dint Of patience
and Of physical strength, Il glimpse ut least,
of tho exciting scene,
1t had been proposed in debate, on the
day previous, during the election, that the
galleries Of the hall should be closed. as
they could, at best, accommodate buta hand
iul Of those who were anxious to witness
the scene but Mr. McDutic. lthcn 4 prom
nent member of the Housc,) warmly de-
MED the right OF Congress to exclude the
people from witnessing, if they so pleased,
the acts of their own representatives, in 4
matter especial V 50 vitally affecting them
all. And when it was suggested that the
admission ofso great and so eXcitedacrowd
would inevitable be productive of disorder,
he sprang up and in tones which echoed
through the hall and galleries, pledged him
self for "thc orderly department of the
people whilo looking on such scene. -
His appeal was too popular to be successful
" resisted, and the doors were thrown open
accordingly. 1t was an imposing spectacle.
The circular lobby outside the bar, (and into
which none are admitted but privileged per-
sons, whose right is specified by law as
well as the togid, or open area, behind the
columns in the rear of the Speakers seat
were filled with members of the Senate, ex-
Governors of States, military and naval Of
ficerS, (those only, however, who had re-
ceived votes of thanks from Congress for
meritorous service,) foreign ministers and
their dttoches, Judges of the Supreme Court
jim word, with all who envicd distinction
it was to pass the vigilant scrutiny of the
door-kcepcrs, now doubly viglant, and all
upon the gm Uiue. A restless movement of
the members within the bar, and general