art of those portions of the people who, at two several
meetings, have seen fit to present my name for the suffrages of the
district, I am duly and deeply sensible."

In due time the election was held, and Mr. Adams was returned to Congress,
by a vote nearly unanimous. From that time forward for seventeen years,
and to the hour of his death, he occupied the post of Representative in
Congress from the Plymouth district, in Massachusetts, with unswerving
fidelity, and distinguished honor. There can be no doubt that many of the
best friends of Mr. Adams seriously questioned the propriety of his
appearing as a Representative in the halls of Congress. It was a step
never before taken by an ex-President of the United States. They
apprehended it might be derogatory to his dignity, and injurious to his
reputation and fame, to enter into the strifes, and take part in the
litigations and contentions which characterize the national House of
Representatives. Moreover, they were fearful that in measuring himself, as
he necessarily must, in the decline of life, with younger men in the prime
of their days, who were urged by the promptings of ambition to tax every
capacity of their nature, he might injure his well-earned reputation for
strength of intellect, eloquence and statesmanship. But these misgivings
were groundless. In the House of Representatives, as in all places where
Mr. Adams was associated with others, he arose immediately to the head of
his compeers. So far from suffering in his reputation, it was immeasurably
advanced during his long congressional career. New powers were
developed--new traits of character were manifested--new and repeated
instances of devotion to principle and the rights of man were made
known--which added a brighter lustre to his already widely-extended fame.
He exhibited a fund of knowledge so vast and profound--a familiarity so
perfect with nearly every topic which claimed the attention of
Congress--he could bring forth from his well-replenished storehouse of
memory so vast an array of facts, shedding light upon subjects deeply
obscured to others--displayed such readiness and power in debate, pouring
out streams of purest eloquence, or launching forth the most scathing
denunciations when he deemed them called for--that his most bitter
opposers, while trembling before his sarcasm, and dreading his assaults,
could not but grant him the meed of their highest admiration. Well did he
deserve the title conf