CHAPTER XIV.

MR. ADAMS' FIRMNESS IN DISCHARGE OF DUTY--HIS EXERTIONS IN BEHALF OF THE
AMISTAD SLAVES--HIS CONNEXION WITH THE SMITHSONIAN BEQUEST--TOUR THROUGH
CANADA AND NEW YORK--HIS RECEPTION AT BUFFALO--VISITS NIAGARA
FALLS--ATTENDS WORSHIP WITH THE TUSCARORA INDIANS--HIS RECEPTION AT
ROCHESTER--AT AUBURN--AT ALBANY--AT PITTSFIELD--VISITS CINCINNATI--ASSISTS
IN LAYING THE CORNER STONE OF AN OBSERVATORY.

It would be impossible, in the limit prescribed to these pages, to detail
the numerous scenes and occurrences of a momentous nature, in which Mr.
Adams took a prominent part during his services in the House of
Representatives. The path he marked out for himself at the commencement of
his congressional career, was pursued with unfaltering fidelity to the
close of life. His was the rare honor of devoting himself, unreservedly,
to his legitimate duties as a Representative of the people while in
Congress, and to nothing else. He believed the halls of the Capitol were
no place for political intrigue; and that a member of Congress, instead of
studying to shape his course to make political capital or to subserve
party ends, should devote himself rigidly and solely to the interests of
his constituents. His practice corresponded with his theory. His
speeches, his votes, his entire labors in Congress, were confined strictly
to practical subjects, vitally connected with the great interests of our
common country, and had no political or party bearing, other than such as
truth and public good might possess.

His hostility to slavery and the assumptions and usurpations of slave
power in the councils of the nation, continued to the day of his death. At
the commencement of each session of Congress, he demanded that the
infamous "gag rule," which forbid the presentation of petitions on the
subject of slavery, should be abolished. But despite its continuance, he
persisted in handing in petitions from the people of every class,
complexion and condition. He did not hesitate to lay before the House of
Representatives a petition from Haverhill, Mass., for the dissolution of
the Union! Although opposed in his whole soul to the prayer of the
petitioners, yet he believed himself sacredly bound to listen with due
respect to every request of the people, when couched in respectful terms.

In vain did the supporters of slavery endeavor to arrest his course, and
to seal his lips in silence. In vain did they threaten
assassination-