The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-12

with Wade. but his prospects were sud-
denly blightcd by tho financial panic
which ensued The price of land de-
clined alarmingly and purchasers were
made bankrupt. the result being that Giddinss
found himself poor man at the ago OF 40.
while his troubles were aggravated by MS
failing health. Returning to the bar. he was
in fur way to recover his practice when his
professional career was cut short by uneX-
pected events. The representative OF the as
trct In Congress having resigned his seat. lie
received tho Wing nomination for tho vacant
place. and, rs the Democrats were In hope
less minority. his election was assured. Ihus
began his historical career In Congress and
the great work Of his life.
1t was In tho epoch Of slavchodirg AFRO
gance on tho one hand and of Northern cow
ardice on the other that Joshua r. GiGdings
took his seat in the lower branch OF the Tween
ty-ilfth Congress in December 1888. Slavery
had not yct found its way into politics. III.
Liberal party and the Free Soil party which
succeeded 1t were not organized until years
afterward The mass OF tho people OF the
Northern slaveholdinG States were asleep.
The abolitionists were few. and everywhere
misunderstood and bounded by the mob. Tho
right OF petition and Of freedom OF debate had
been stricken down in the House OF represent
atves two years before LoveJoy had been MUIR
dered in Alton the year previous for refusingto
surrender the freedom of the press to pro-
slavery rufnans. and about the same time
Pennsylvania Hall had been burned by Phil
adelphia rabble. GiddinEs was IL Wing. and
his Whig constituents were hostile to slavery.
but as yet they had formulated no we'll de-
fined method OF resisting its usurpations. His
=. H., l,,I la1, fnI In tha
lations OF the Federal Government to slavery
through the speeches of Theodore D. Weld.
one OF the most eloquent Of the early aboli-
tionists who in 1897 had spoken at jefferson
and other points in northern Ohio Under
this awakening Mr.. Wade and himself had
taken the lead in forming an ant-slavery
society. which at first contained only four
members. This was the outset OF Giddings's
warfare against slavery.
The shaping influence Of Giddings's career
was that Of John Quincy Adams. who was
member Of the Twentyhfth Congress- and
occupied in the House a commanding and
unique position. In politics Mr.. Adams was
at this time absolutely independent. He had
begun his public life in the Federalist party.
but when lie found it occupying grounds
which he believed t. be mistaken he pro-
voked the wrath of his friends by accept
ing Office under Mr. Jefferson. Afterward.
when the Republican party since called
Democratic. swerved from what he consid-
cred its true course he allied himself with
the Wing party. but he always dened
its discipline. He characterized Northern
Democrats as the consistent Swiss guards OF
slavery" and Northern Wings as 1.-THE COM
promising non-resistants OF tho North
afraid OF answering fool according to
his folly" To the Wing party John Quincy
Adams was burden. always putting himself
in the way OF harmony between its Northern
and Southern sections. while tho Wing press
ofthe Union. with rare exceptions. condemned
him. He was now in the white heat OF his
fight for the right Of petition and the freedom
Of debate. Mr. Julian believes that any other
man would have been silenced and thus the
asccndancy Of the slave power would have
been indefinitely prolonged. But Giddings
caught Adams's spirit and seconded his labors
while he lived. and when the protaGonist Of
the anti-slavery struggle rested from his
labors his mantle fell on his disciple from the
West.
The personal appearance OF Mr.. Adams and
OF Mr.. Van Buren, at this epoch is described in
Giddings's private journal under date of Do
cember. 1898 or the former wo are told
He is about five feet eight inches in height.
very bald. with low forehead. and nothing
about the shape OF his head that indicates I'M
usual talent Yet his physioGnomy has some-
thing Of an intellectual appearance" Van
Buren,. then President. Is thus depicted: He
Is small Of stature. has low forehead, Is very
bnid. with eyes sunk far back in his heal. His
general appearance is not preposseSsing. In
Decd to u casual observer he would pro sent tho
appearance OF man Of ordinary character:
nor do you see any evidence OF extraordinary
intellect until you look him suuarely in the face.
when you are ut once impressed with his
shrowdncss and Intelligence. He converses
auently and rapidly 1t will BIO remembered
TINT in the ensuing political campaign the
story OF Mr. Van Burcn's White House extrav-
aganco was circulated by his opponents with
damaging effect. Mr.. Glddings's observations
Of the White House furniture did not confirm
the report. The Presidents room.' he notes.
lis fitted up in plain and becoming style. A
neat mahogany bookcase. filed with miscela-
n"ous works. two circular mahogany tables.
eighteen or twenty chairs. with large mirror
over the mantelpiece. and a common sofa con-
stitute the paraphernalia OF his receiving
apartment"
From the outset Giddings WAS struck with
tho vast difference in tho character and de-
meanor OF the members from the North and
South. y" Every person present" no writes.
must have remarked the high and important
bearing OF tho Southern men. their confident
and bold assertions. their sclf-important airs.
and their overbearing manner: while tho
Northern mon. eve II on the subject OF slavery
arc dinldont. tacIturn. and forbcarng. l
have come to the conclusion that our Northern
friends are afraid OF those Southern bullies
have made inquiry. and think we have no
Northern man who dares boldly and fear
lessly to declare his adherence of slavery
and tho slave trade. This kind OF fear /