THE HESPERIAN STUDENT.
M.
MB&sa
of European politics nt last brought tho EiigllHlnnon to
tlicir senses mul llio treaty signed left tiling in tliu snmo
condition ns before tho war. Tho London Times angrily
declared that tlic Yankees luul negotiated better than tlioy
had fought, that England had attempted to force Iter prin
ciples upon America and had failed.
Again, as Secretary of Stato under Monroe's administra
tion Adams met John 13 11 in the uorson of Mr. Canning,
English minister at Washington. England was trying to
quietly get possession of tho mouth of the Columbia river
The.ro luul been some talk in Congress ol sending some
troops thither. Canning called to see the Secretary of
Statu about it. "Ilavo you," asked Adams, "any claim to
the mouth of the Columbia?" "Why," said Canning, "do
you not knoxo that wo have a claim?" "I do not know,"
answered Adams, "what you claim or what you
do not claim; you claim Asia, you clnjm Africa, 3011
claim " "Pdhaps," interrupted Canning, "a pieco
ofthoTuoon." "No," said Adams, "I have not heard that
you claim exclusively any portion of tho moon; but there
is no spot on this habitable globe, that I could afllrm tho
you do not claim." John Bull didn't secure tho mouth
of the Columbia. Adams wanted- to bo president, ho
worked lmrd to secure tho olllce, how did he work? By
toiling with almost superhuman industry at his duties as
Secretary of Statu. Further than tills he did nothing to
help his individual "boom." Adams, Jackson, Clay, and
Crawford wero tho candidates; tlicro was no choice in tho
electoral college, and by Clay's help Adams was chosen
President by tho house. Clay being thereafter made
Secretary of State, tho cry of "bargain was promptly
raised by Jackson and Co. but no proof that could sur
vive the campaign that gavo It birth was brought forward
Tho fact whs that Clay had to choose between Adams
"and Jackson, and whichever one ho had supported would
probably have made him Secretary if ho desired tho
office; ho undoubtedly showed good sense by making tho
choice ho Mid. As president Adams refused to use his ip
pointing power to reward old friends or make new ones
and it is a ghastly commentary on our civil service, that
his recti tudo payed the way for Jackson's success. Adams
political history did not end when ho vacated tho presi
dential clmir; position was but a secondary affair Willi
him. As was said of another president. "Ills high aim
was manhood." Ajl ho desired was a cliaucc to work.
When asked if ho would accept the position of representa
ivo in congress, ho replied that, ho would, and that he
should not consider It as detracting from his dignity as
ex-president, to serve as town councilmau if elected to
that position.
At G3 years of ago this ox-presidont took his seat for
tho first tiino in the houso of representatives. He shirked
no duties because of age, was regular in attendance, never
failed io voto unless for some good reason, and did an
amount of committee work that might well have put to
ehamo many of tho younger members. Iraciblc and at
times sarcastic he, gained few personal friends, but bear
iBhnoss is not a daingorous vico iu a government like
ours.
Ho becamo'by force of circumstances preeminently tho
champion of tho right of petition. In 1830 tho southern
members secured the passage of the "Gag Law," which
forbndo tho reception of any petition iu regard to tho
question of slavery, Each time when tho old rules were
o be adopted, Adams would move to strike out this
portion of them ; each session he ottered great numbuis of
petitions from all over the country only to iiavo them
ruled out of order. He presented petitions of all kinds
that were sent to him; petitions for tho abolition of sla
very, petitions for tho perpetuation of slavery, petit ic 113
for tho dissolution of the Union, petitions for his own
removal from the committoo on foreign all'airs; even
petitions for his own expulsion from the house. Tho
fight wus long, but in 1840 tho Gag Law was repealed.
Twice during tho contest did democratic members try
to get through resolutions calling him to tho bar of the
houso to bo censured by tho speaker, twlco did ho begin
tho fight well nigh alone and both limes did ho succeed
so well iu his defenso that his opponents were glad to-lay
their own resolutions on tho table.
Ho was possessed, Morso tells us, of but few of tho attri
butes of an orator, yet in tho excitement of passionate
debate, with wild gesticulation, with cracking voice and
streaming eyes, his brain still went like clock work and
by virtue of his deep sincerity he gained for himself the
title of "Old Man Eloquent." In spite of bad temper
aud caustic speech he gained tho respect both of friends
audioes, aud in 18-18 when ho entered the houso for the
first time after a prostrated illness, tho entire body rose to
receive him. In the following February, at 80 years of
age, parulysis struck him down at his post of duty. Borno
from tho houso in an unconscious condition, he died on
the twenty second.
Ho was a man mado great by manliness. Many have
died for tliu sake of liberty, ho lived for It. IIo may well
havo been 0110 of the great departed whoso .spirits wero
invoked by Whlttier when ho said,
"To party claims, to prlvnto alms,
Itovcal that august face of truth,
Whero-to aro given tho ago of hoavuu,
Tho beauty of immortal youth.
So hall our volco of sovcroign choice,
Swell tho deep bass of duty douo,
Aud strike tho key of times to ho,
When man and Uod shall Apeak as one."
'85.
Scene at a club table:
Senior: "Who is going to hear Prof. Grube speak
on Faust tonight v"
Frksuman, (eager for useful information); "Faust l
What is that?"
Oil I a curious thing is lovo
As it comes from nbovo
Aud lights Hko a dovo
On some,
Hut some it nover lilts
Without it gives them llta
Aud scatters all their wits
Oh hum!
"Aro you certain of securing tho diadem ?" asked the
minister of tho dying mau, and when the man said he
didn't "want to diadem bit," tho minister and tho doctor
both flow, and as a matter of conscquenco tho man got
better.
Facltlous Friend (to young lady engaged iu an entre
nous with a Soph) "Kittio, do you think you could bo
Bavcd if I throw you a ropo ?" Young lady (momentarily
relieved) "Why, do you think mo in daugor?" Facetl
tlous friend "I do, indeed, seoiug you over bored."
nfeMin
