Life and Public Services of John Quincy Adams Part 17

"Resolved, That Congress possesses no const.i.tutional authority to interfere in any way with the inst.i.tution of slavery in any of the States of this Confederacy.

"Resolved, That Congress ought not to interfere in any way with slavery in the District of Columbia.

"And whereas, It is extremely important and desirable that the agitation of this subject should be finally arrested, for the purpose of restoring tranquillity to the public mind, your committee respectfully recommend the adoption of the following additional resolution, viz.:--

"Resolved, That all pet.i.tions, memorials, resolutions, propositions or papers, relating in any way, or to any extent whatever, to the subject of slavery, or the abolition of slavery, shall, without being either printed or referred, be laid upon the table, and that no further action whatever shall be had thereon."

When the first of these resolutions was taken up, Mr. Adams said, if the House would allow him five minutes' time, he would prove the resolution to be untrue. His request was denied.

On the third resolution Mr. Adams refused to vote, and sent to the Speaker's chair the following declaration, demanding that it should be placed on the journal of the House, there to stand to the latest posterity:--

"I hold the resolution to be a direct violation of the Const.i.tution of the United States, of the rules of this House, and of the rights of my const.i.tuents."

Notwithstanding the rule embodied in this resolution virtually trampled the right of pet.i.tion into the dust, yet it was adopted by the House, by a large majority. But Mr. Adams was not to be deterred by this arbitrary restriction, from a faithful discharge of his duty as a representative of the people. Pet.i.tions on the subject of slavery continued to be transmitted to him in increased numbers. With unwavering firmness--against a bitter and unscrupulous opposition, exasperated to the highest pitch by his pertinacity--amidst a perfect tempest of vituperation and abuse--he persevered in presenting these pet.i.tions, one by one, to the amount sometimes of two hundred in a day--demanding the action of the House on each separate pet.i.tion.

His position amid these scenes was in the highest degree ill.u.s.trious and sublime. An old man, with the weight of years upon him, forgetful of the elevated stations he had occupied, and the distinguished honors received for past services, turning away from the repose which age so greatly needs, and laboring, amidst scorn and derision, and threats of expulsion and a.s.sa.s.sination, to maintain the sacred right of pet.i.tion for the poorest and humblest in the land--insisting that the voice of a free people should be heard by their representatives, when they would speak in condemnation of human slavery and call upon them to maintain the principles of liberty embodied in the immortal Declaration of Independence--was a spectacle unwitnessed before in the history of legislation. A few specimens of these transactions will enable the reader to judge of the trials Mr. Adams was compelled to endure in the discharge of his duties, and also of his moral courage and indomitable perseverance, amid the most appalling circ.u.mstances.

On the 6th of Jan., 1837, Mr. Adams presented the pet.i.tion of one hundred and fifty women, whom he stated to be the wives and daughters of his immediate const.i.tuents, praying for the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia, and moved that the pet.i.tion be read.

Mr. Glasc.o.c.k objected to its reception.

Mr. Parks moved that the preliminary motion, on the reception of the pet.i.tion, be laid on the table, which was carried.

Mr. Adams said, that if he had understood the decision of the Speaker in this case, it was not the pet.i.tion itself which was laid upon the table, but the motion to receive. In order to save the time of the House, he wished to give notice that he should call up that motion, for decision, every day, so long as he should be permitted to do so by the House; because he should not consider his duty accomplished so long as the pet.i.tion was not received, and so long as the House had not decided that it would not receive it.

Mr. Pinckney rose to a question of order, and inquired if there was now any question pending before the House?

The Speaker said, he had understood the gentleman from Ma.s.sachusetts as merely giving notice of a motion hereafter to be made. In doing so, it certainly was not in order to enter into debate.

Mr. Adams said, that so long as freedom of speech was allowed to him as a member of that House, he would call up that question until it should be decided.

Mr. Adams was called to order.

Mr. A. said, he would then have the honor of presenting to the House the pet.i.tion of two hundred and twenty-eight women, the wives and daughters of his immediate const.i.tuents; and as a part of the speech which he intended to make, he would take the liberty of reading the pet.i.tion. It was not long, and would not consume much time.

Mr. Glasc.o.c.k objected to the reception of the pet.i.tion.

Mr. Adams proceeded to read, that the pet.i.tioners, inhabitants of South Weymouth, in the State of Ma.s.sachusetts, "impressed with the sinfulness of slavery, and keenly aggrieved by its existence in a part of our country over which Congress--"

Mr. Pinckney rose to a question of order. Had the gentleman from Ma.s.sachusetts a right, under the rule, to read the pet.i.tion?

The Speaker said, the gentleman from Ma.s.sachusetts had a right to make a statement of the contents of the pet.i.tion.

Mr. Pinckney desired the decision of the Speaker as to whether a gentleman had a right to read a pet.i.tion.

Mr. Adams said he was reading the pet.i.tion as a part of his speech, and he took this to be one of the privileges of a member of the House. It was a privilege he would exercise till he should be deprived of it by some positive act.

The Speaker repeated that the gentleman from Ma.s.sachusetts had a right to make a brief statement of the contents of the pet.i.tion. It was not for the Speaker to decide whether that brief statement should be made in the gentleman's own language, or whether he should look over the pet.i.tion, and take his statement from that.

Mr. Adams.--At the time my friend from South Carolina--

The Speaker said the gentleman must proceed to state the contents of the pet.i.tion.

Mr. Adams.-I am doing so, sir.

The Speaker.--Not in the opinion of the chair.

Mr. Adams.--I was at this point of the pet.i.tion--"Keenly aggrieved by its existence in a part of our country over which Congress possesses exclusive jurisdiction in all cases whatsoever--"

Loud cries of "Order," "Order!"

Mr. Adams.-"Do most earnestly pet.i.tion your honorable body--"

Mr. Chambers of Kentucky rose to a point of order.

Mr. Adams.--"Immediately to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia--"

Mr. Chambers reiterated his call to order, and the Speaker directed Mr.

Adams to take his seat.

Mr. Adams proceeded with great rapidity of enunciation, and in a very loud tone of voice--"And to declare every human being free who sets foot upon its soil!"

The confusion in the hall at this time was very great. The Speaker decided that it was not in order for a member to read a pet.i.tion, whether it was long or short.

Mr. Adams appealed from any decision which went to establish the principle that a member of the House should not have the power to read what he chose. He had never before heard of such a thing. If this practice was to be reversed, let the decision stand upon record, and let it appear how entirely the freedom of speech was suppressed in this House. If the reading of a paper was to be suppressed in his person, so help him G.o.d, he would only consent to it as a matter of record.

Mr. Adams finished the pet.i.tion. The pet.i.tioners "respectfully announce their intention to present the same pet.i.tion yearly before this honorable body, that it might at least be a memorial in the holy cause of human freedom that they had done what they could."

These words were read amidst tumultuous cries for "order," from every part of the House. The pet.i.tion was finally received, and laid upon the table.

Other scenes of a still more exciting character soon occurred.

On the 7th of February, 1837, after Mr. Adams had offered some two hundred or more abolition pet.i.tions, he came to a halt; and, without yielding the floor, employed himself in packing up his budget. He was about resuming his seat, when he took up a paper, and hastily glancing at it, exclaimed, in a shrill tone--

"Mr. Speaker, I have in my possession a pet.i.tion of a somewhat extraordinary character; and I wish to inquire of the chair if it be in order to present it."

"If the gentleman from Ma.s.sachusetts," said the Speaker, "will inform the chair what the character of the pet.i.tion is, it will probably be able to decide on the subject."

"Sir," e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Mr. Adams, "the pet.i.tion is signed by eleven slaves of the town of Fredericksburgh, in the county of Culpepper, in the state of Virginia. It is one of those pet.i.tions which, it has occurred to my mind, are not what they purport to be. It is signed partly by persons who cannot write, by making their marks, and partly by persons whose handwriting would manifest that they have received the education of slaves. The pet.i.tion declares itself to be from slaves, and I am requested to present it. I will send it to the chair."

The Speaker (Mr. Polk,) who habitually extended to Mr. Adams every courtesy and kindness imaginable, was taken by surprise, and found himself involved in a dilemma. Giving his chair one of those hitches which ever denoted his excitement, he said that a pet.i.tion from slaves was a novelty, and involved a question that he did not feel called upon to decide. He would like to take time to consider it; and, in the meantime, would refer it to the House.

The House was very thin at the time, and little attention was paid to what was going on, till the excitement of the Speaker attracted the attention of Mr. Dixon H. Lewis, of Alabama, who impatiently, and under great excitement, rose and inquired what the pet.i.tion was.

Mr. Speaker afforded the required information. Mr. Lewis, forgetting all discretion, whilst he frothed at the mouth, turned towards Mr. Adams, and e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed at the top of his voice, "By G-d, sir, this is not to be endured any longer!"

"Treason! treason!" screamed a half dozen other members. "Expel the old scoundrel; put him out; do not let him disgrace the House any longer!"