The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1865-07-26
The Spirit of the SOuth--A Lesson IRON
History.


. dissolution Of the Union, because the adj
vantages Of the different sections were not
recinrocaI: because the resources OF one
mart were drained by the waste Of another;
and because history proved that such insti-
tutlons az existed m one part Of the Union
would. in the end oyerwhelm the whole in
destruction. Mr. Adams moved the refer
euce Of the petition TO a select committee,
with instructions TO report reasons why the
PRAYER OF the petition ought not 10 be
granted. The House were taken by sur
mise: one member asked if IL would be
in order 10 move that the peti'f)n be burn
ed in the presence Of the House: and amid
various proposals for disposing OF It, the
House adjourned
The shareholders, who had so long been
annoyed and vexed by the holiness and in
domitable energy OF the old man, whose
exalted character and venerable age preclu-
ded the application Of personal violence,
determined to avail themselves Of the pre-
sentatiOn Of This petition a. favorable oc-
casion for crushing his spirit, AMI holding
him 40 to public detestatiOn and horror.
Accordingly, the next day, agreeably 10 4
resolution adopted the night before Mar
shall, Of Kentucky, presented q resolution
to the purpOrt that John Quincy Adams
by presenting this petition, had offered the
deepest indignity % the House and an IN
suit 10 the people Of the United States. and
is worthy OF expulsion from the national
councils, and the House deem II an act Of
grace and mercy that they content them
selves with inficting the seyerest censure
OF the House.
The scenes that followed in the House
were of the highest dramatic interest, and
from the accounts Of those present, ire
mendOus excitement prevailed. When the
Speaker announced to the venerable EX-
President that his position entitled him to
the floor all eyes turned upon that little,
feeble, bald. tottering Old man. who stood
with his eyes dmmed and his hands trem-
LI--, -s.i- .-,..seieaeivsssss issn----s.- -s
while around him cleaned hundred low
ering brOws, excited with passion and long
standing. hereditary hate. " He had OOked
on the excitement OF the previous day,
SAYS Giddings, "with placid smile, "a if
something amusing was passing in his
mind, as he saw the storm raging about
him. Now, we who sat near could see the
inmost workings Of his soul written upon a
countenance which faithfully reflected ever y
serious emotion of the mind.
Mild, calm, unexcited, undepressed, he
turned his face upon scene appalling to
many a heart with a stOuter covering. and
raised his voice, high keyed but clear un-
tremulOus and firm The infirmities of sew
enty-ive years rolled away as he began to
speak, and the tones Of surprise and cold
contempt were succeeded by those OF great
bitterness and vehement scOrn. lie was
charged by the resolutions with the crime
OF high treason. That crime, he said, was
defined by the Constitution of the United
States; and its definition had not been left
TO the puny mind of the gentleman from
Kentucky. 81 call, 4" said he "for the
reading Of the first paragraph OF the Decla-
ration Of independence. Read it. he
exclaimed, with the attitude aud tone Of a
cOnquerOr at the head Of his legiOns, "read
il and see what that says of the rights Of a
people, To reform, to change, To dissolve
their government" The Clerk then read
as follows: We hold thase truths to be
self evident: that all men are created equal:
that they are endowed by their Creator with
certain inalienable rights: that 10 secure
these rights governments are instituted
among men, deriving their just powers from
the consent of the governed that when
ever any form Of government becomes des-
tructive of these ends, ii is the right Of the
people 10 alter or abolish II, and to institute
new government. laying its foundations on
such principles, and organizing its powers
in such form as shall seem most likely to
effect their safety and happiness" Here
the Old man Numbered out, read that
again y and he looked proudly around up
on the listening audience as he heard his
vindicatiOn triumphantly sounded forth in
the first and great Declaration of American
liberty. The sympathetic, instantaneous
revulsiOn Of feeling was tremendous and
palpabIe, although voiceless. Mr.. Adams,
then, mostly in cold, calm, measured sen
fences, stated that he did not approve the
prayer Of the petitioners, but he had asccr-
tanned that they were respectable and re-
sponsible men, and he could inform the
House that there were many others also
who would prefer dissolution Of the union
to union upon unequal terms. His object
in moving a reference Of the petition was
10 bring forward some reasons in opposition
to their prayer. He wished TO show that
the time had not come when n dissolution !
was necessary TO remedy their grievances. |
which might be removed by other means. |
Tho country knew his position on the sub /
jet of petitions, and that position he should /
retain until the House should receive them
from the Free as we'll as the Slave States.
Until that were accomplished there were
thousands Of freemen who would never
rest His presentation Of the petition was
based upon that fundamental principle Of
our institutions that the people have a right
TO alter or abolish their form of govern
ment: this was his Justification: but if
he was driven to a full defence Of himself
against these resolutions. he should prove
that there was a conspiracy on the part of
one section Of the Union 10 destroy all the
guarantees Of the Constitution: TO abolish
the right Of trial by jury and of habeas
corpus; and that there was deliberate At
tempt on the part Of the Slave States IN
force on the Free States the support- main.
tenance and perpetuation Of slavery and
the slave trade, as had been manifested in
the controversy between New York and
Virginia, and Maine and Georgia: and that
measures were progressing, under the die
tation OF the slavehOldmg interest which
would involve the country In war with
Great Britain.
mere the old man rested his defence. and
sat down indicated and victorious. But
henry A. Wise Of