Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-06-06
EARLY DAYS OF THE U. S. con-
GRESS.
John Quincy Adams as Depicted by an
Hold Stager."

AS he proceeded in his remarks, says
an "old stager, sin speaking of John
Quincy Adams, he warmed with his
subject, and his high, broad forehead
began to change in color, streaks OF
crimson creeping up, one after another,
reminding one of milk-white cloud
illumined by lightning, until the whole
surface of the head looked as if tinged
with blood. When the transformation
became complete, his face suffused and
his eye flashing, he seemed to increase
in size, his tones grew louder and more
impressive, his sentences, vituperatiYe
and denunciatory, we're delivered like
round shot, hot and heavy, and those
to whom he applied the lash were al
ways to be commiserated. He never
forgot an injury, and rarely forgave
those who wantonly assailed him. l
remember terrible e1coriation which
he gave Charles Jared Ingersoll, mem
Der of Congress from Philadelphia.
Mr.. Ingersoll had held the Office of
district attorney by the appointment of
Mr.. Adams, and he turned against him
in the campaign af 1928, not only sup
porting General Jackson with great
zeal and earnestness, but abusing Mr..
Adams in spirit of vindictive ferocity.
They got into a controversy in the
House, which led to sharp personal
alteration. Mr.. Adams closed the dis
cussion with few sentences SO charged
with pungent sarcasm and Just indigna-
ton that his victim made no rejoinder,
nor ever afterward renewed the attack
or attempted any vindication. "The
gentleman from Philadelphia knows"
said Mr.. Adams, "who appointed him
to q responsible and lucrative office
against the best wishes and best judg-
ment of the best friends of the admins
tration. He knows to whose favor he
owed that appointment, when there
were many able and distinguished COM
peting candidates. He knows the office
was given him out of personal regard,
and he knows how he repaid his bene-
factor"
There was painful scene" on the
floor short time afterward, in which
Mr.. Adams came in conflict with Mr..
Wise, Cost johnson, and several other
fre-eaters, who provoked the old gen.
tleman past bearing. The galleries of
the House were crowded, Mrs. Wise, an
amiable, accomplished, and charming
woman, being among the spectators,
and her father, the venerable John
Sergeant, occupying seat near Mr..
Adams. The subject OF dueling came
up accidentally, and Mr.. Adams i'm
proved the occasion to lash with char
acteristic severity every body who pro-
fessed to be governed by the code.
Referring to the duel in which Cilley
lost his life, Mr.. Adams said Wise stood
there with clots of blood, drawn from
the murdered man, on his brow. John
son interposed with an explanatory
observation. "Ha another duelist !"
said Mr.. Adams.
Wise had said that the tone of the
House had got to be disgracefully low
cred, that opprobrious language and
insulting epithets were exchanged and
no demand for satisfaction made; hard
words were common enough, but there
was never a fight.
OVnhoon uIcu Bou buo uOOIs IhE.
Speaker" said he, eve have heard
much of foul language, and nobody
held responsible for it. Now I desire
to give this House fair monition. If
any man on this floor, be he Wing or
anti-Whig always excepting the dis
tinguished and venerable gentleman
from Massachusetts, with whom no man
can have a personal difficulty, pre-
sumes to say what I will do or will not
do in given state of things, if he has
any doubt whethe I will hold him re-
sponsible, let him say one injurious
word-nay, let him look an affront-
and see whether there will be fight or
not"
Mr.. Adams continued his remarks,
and such castigation as the fighting
men received at his hands has rarely
been inflicted. Mr.. Wise got the most
of it, Mr.. Adams having been in the
House when Cilley was killed. Wise
replied with so much feeling, and in
such excellent taste, that Mr.. Sergeant
took him by both hands, and, overcome
by emotion, cried like a child.