their newspapers and pamphlets—­knots of consulting politicians in different parts of the Hall were dissolved—­Representatives came hastily in from lobbies, committee-rooms, the surrounding grounds—­and all eagerly clustered around his chair to listen to words of wisdom, patriotism, and truth, as they dropped burning from the lips of “the old man eloquent!” The confidence placed in him in emergencies, was unbounded.  A case in point is afforded in the history of the difficulty occasioned by the double delegation from New Jersey.

On the opening of the 26th Congress, in December, 1839, in consequence of a two-fold 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 aspect of the assembled Representatives of the people, unable to form themselves into a constitutional body.  On first assembling, the House has no officers, 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 declined to proceed in calling the roll, and refused to entertain any of the motions which were made for the purpose of extricating the House from its embarrassment.  Many of the ablest and most judicious members had addressed the House in vain, and there was nothing but confusion and disorder in prospect.

The fourth day opened, and still confusion was triumphant.  But the hour of disenthrallment was at hand, and a scene was presented which sent the mind back to those days when Cromwell uttered the exclamation—­“Sir Harry Vane! wo unto you, Sir Harry Vane!”—­and in an instant dispersed the famous Rump Parliament.

Mr. Adams, from the opening of this scene of confusion and anarchy, had maintained a profound silence.  He appeared to be engaged most of the time in writing.  To a 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; Mr. 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.  I turned, and saw that Mr. Adams was ready to get the floor at the earliest moment possible.  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.  He looked, in the language of Otway, like the

“—­fowler, eager for his prey.”

“New Jersey!” ejaculated Mr. Hugh H. Garland, “and the Clerk has to repeat that—­”

Mr. Adams sprang to the floor!

“I rise to interrupt the Clerk,” was his first ejaculation.

“Silence, silence,” resounded through the hall; “hear him, hear him!  Here what he has to say; hear John Quincy Adams!” was the unanimous ejaculation on all sides.