hy should wise, sagacious
politicians, prudent and honest men, and conscientious Christians, shut
their eyes and turn away from a fact so appalling and so dangerous. No man
of intelligence can hope, in this age of the world, to perpetuate that
which is wrong and destructive, by bravado and threatening--by refusing to
look it in the face, or to allow others to scrutinize it. Error must pass
away. Truth, however unpalatable, or however it may be obscured for a
season, must eventually triumph. The very exertions of its supporters to
perpetuate wrong, will but hasten its death.

"Truth, crushed to earth, will rise again;
Th' eternal years of God are hers:
But Error, wounded, writhes with pain,
And dies among her worshippers."

Notwithstanding the course Mr. Adams felt himself compelled to pursue led
him frequently into collision with a large portion of the Members of the
House of Representatives, and caused them sometimes, in the heat of
excitement, to forget the deference due his age, his experience, and
commanding abilities, yet there was ever a deep, under-current feeling of
veneration for him, pervading all hearts. Those who were excited to the
highest pitch of frenzy by his proceedings, could not but admire the
singleness of his purpose, and his undaunted courage in discharging his
duties. On all subjects aside from slavery, his influence in the House has
never been surpassed. Whenever he arose to speak, it was a signal for a
general abandonment of listlessness and inattention. Members dropped 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 Ho