The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-11-12
The OLD NAN ELOQUENT.
How John Quincy Adams "Put the
Question Himself''..A memorable
Scene in Congress-.

Congress-, in December, 1889, in conse-
ouence of a two-told delegation from
New Jersey, the House was unable for
some time to complete its organization,
and presented to the country and the
world the perilous and discreditable as
pect of the assembled representatives
of the people unable to, form them
selves into constitutional body. On
first assembling, the House has no off,
GERS, and the clerk of the preceding
Congress acts, by usage, as chairman of
the body till a speaker is chosen. On
this occasion, after reaching the state
of New Jersey, the acting clerk de-
clined to proceed in calling the roll. and
refused to entertain any of the motions
which were made for the purpose of ex-
Treating the house from its embarrass-
ment. Many of the able and most ju-
dicious members had addressed the
House in vain. and there was nothing
but confusion md disorder in prospect.
The fourth day opened and still cenfu-
sion was triumphant. But the hour Of
disenthrallment was at hand, and a
scene was presented which sent tie
mind back to those days when Crom-
we'll uttered the exclamation !:
Sir Harry Vane! woe unto. you, Sir
Harry Vane' and in an instant dis
persed the famous Rump parliament.
Mr.. Adams, from the opening OF this
scene of confusion and anarchy, had
maintained profound silence. lie ap-
peared to be engaged most of the time
in writing. To common observer he
seemed to be reckless of everything
around him; but nothing-not the
slightest incident-escaped him. The
fourth day Of the struggle had now
commenced, Hugh H. Garland, the
clerk, was directed to call the roll again,
He commenced with Maine, as was
usual in those days, and was proceeding
toward Massachusetts. | turned and
saw that Dir. Adams was ready to get
the floor at the earliest moment posi-
BILE. His keen eye was riveted on the
clerk; his hands clasped the front edge
of his desk, where he always placed
them to assist him in rising.
''New jersey" CALCULATED Hugh H.
| UdTlauu. dLlu lllC ClCl n Aoo w ASPSoe
| that
Mr.. Adams sprang to the floor.
81 rise to interrupt the clerk!!' was
his first ejaculation.
s Silence! silence = resounded
through the hall. Hear him-hear
him." ''Hear what he has to say -
Hear John Quincy Adams y were
the numerous CALCULATIONS on all sides.
In an instant the most profound silence
reigned throughout the hall-you
mic int have heard a leaf of paper fall in
any part of it-and every eye was riv.
eted on the venerable Nestor of Massa-
chusetts. He paused for moment
and, having given Mr.. Garland with
ering look, he proceeded to address the
multitude
1T was not my intention" said he
''to take any part in these extraordi
nary proceedings. | had hoped thai
this house would succeed in organizing
itself; that speaker and clerk woulC
be elected, and that the ordinary bust
ness of legislation would be progressed
in. 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 Of
Representatives, which, by the consti
tuition, is made the ultimate monitor oil
the qualification of It's members. But
what spectacle have we here present
We degrade and disgrace ourselves; we
degrade and disgrace our constituents
AID the country. We do not and can
not organize; and why? Because the
clerk Of this house, the mere clerk
whom we create, whom we employ, anC
whose existence depends upon our will
usurps the throne, and sets us, the rep
resentatives, the vice regents of the
whole American people at defiance
and holds us in contempt. And
what is this clerk Of yours Is
he to suspend oy his mere negative the
functions of government, and put ar
end to this Congress-! He refuses tc
call the roll. 1t is in your power to
compel him to call it, if he will not dc
it voluntarily" Here he was inter.
rupted by a member, who said that he
was authorized to say that compulsior
could not reach the clerk, who had
avowed that he would resign rather
than call the State of New Jersey.
swell, sir, let him resign continued
Mr.. Adams, land we may possibly dis
cover some way by which we can ge,
along without the aid of his all-power
full talent. learning, and genius. If We
cannot organize in any other way-i
this clerk of yours will not consent te
our discharging the trusts confided te
us by our constituents-:hen let us
fimitate the example of the Virginia
house of burgesses, which, when the
colonial governor, Dinwiddie, ordered il
to dispense, refused to obey the imper
ious and insulting mandate; and. then
like men,
The multitude could not retain OF
repress their enthusiasm any longer
but salutcd the indignant speaker witt
loud and deafening cheers. that seemed
to shake the capitol to its centre. The
turmoil. tie darkness, ''the very chao:
of anarchy" which had for three sue
cessive days pervaded the American
Congress. was dispelled by the magic
the talismanic eloquenee of single nan
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