Nobody Remembers: JQA did NOT Cave

Nobody Remembers

I’m doing my Friday history blog due to the fact that I just listened to Obama give his—“A faction in the House wants to shut the government down.” speech in the Rose Garden just a few minutes ago. As I thought of Obama’s extreme vilification of Ted Cruz and those who support him, I immediately was reminded of another fight in Congress…done basically by one man alone in the House, quite some time ago.  A man who had already been President. A man, that literally changed history. And he fought against, The GAG rule In the year 1835, the American Anti-Slavery Society started flooding the Congress with anti-slavery petitions, which enraged the Southern congressmen (who were democrats) because they wanted to protect the institution of slavery. John Quincy Adams wrote to his son Charles Francis:

“The voice of Freedom has not yet been heard, and I am earnestly urged to speak in her name. She will be trampled underfoot if I do not, and I shall be trampled underfoot if I do…What can I do? I have taken my glove in the House. They hunt me like a Partridge upon the mountain. Well…be it so. I am aware my severest trials  are yet to come.”

What he fought, was the gagging of any anti- slavery petitions to be read by Congress. They just were not going to even talk about slavery. Period. (Sound familiar?) In other words, “it’s the law of the land.”

Congress set up a 9 member committee (with slavery owner southerners in control) to address the many anti-slavery petitions, and decided they were taking up too much time. At the same time, American settlers in Mexico express prohibition against slavery were ignored by the settlers who bought their own slaves to Texas. Adams, was afraid Texas would become another slave state.

Adams gave a speech on the floor of the house against the annexation of Texas ON the fact that it would include more slaves. He was met, by his own words with. “echoes of thundering vituperation from the South and West, and with one universal about of applause from the North and East. ”

Yes, JQA was one of those radical factions. Tea party patriots. Thank God that he was. But he paid a high price…for the next ten years he would fight almost alone.

Now…just like today, Adams was hated in his own party, The House Speaker at the time was James K. Polk (future President from Tennessee) and James repeatedly denied Adams access to the floor. He claimed that slavery was a state’s right, and Congress had no business messing with it. This began years and years of John Adams saying,  “Am I gagged?” every time he slammed the petitions down on the floor podium. To shut him up, Congress passed the  Gag rule, which meant they just wouldn’t discuss it. (Just as Obamacare was ‘passed’ And we are told now, there will BE no discussion. ) John Quincy said this:

“I hold the resolution to be a direct violation of the Constitution of the United States, the rules of this House, and the right of my constituents”

——and sat down amid thunderous cries of “ORDER!” The whole house went in uproar and the clerk didn’t even record Adams remark. Later Adams demanded it be reported in the official journal that he voted no. It was approved, 117-68.

The House did not removed the gag rule (to keep the subject of slavery out of discussion) until 1840, and then it prohibited even RECEIVING petitions.

John Quincy NEVER gave up. He cited the 1st amendment:

“The right of petition is essential to the very existence of government: it is the right of the people over the Government: it is their right, and they may not be deprived of it.  “

Adams had full hatred and vile attacks every single day in Congress, for years and years…when he would march up to the podium and slam down his petition to get rid of the gag rule.  Sarah Palin’s attacks were mild compared to what JQA got —–He was really hated.

One historian, Bennett Champ Clark, said that “No contest in America public life ever exceeded in ferocity the long fight for the right of petition which John Quincy Adams waged from 1836 to 1844”.

So…ONE man fought for years in Congress…hated by the people he worked with, hated by half the country, for the right to end slavery. For the right of free speech. For our Constitutional right for the people to be heard. It’s an inspiration we should remember.

Obama said today in his speech that NOBODY HAS DIED FROM DEATH PANELS! That’s because, today is the first day of it’s implementation.

Obamacare is a holocaust waiting to happen. It will kill millions. Hospitals will close. Care will be denied.  Men and woman will lose jobs.  And it will make slaves of all who do not belong to the rich and connected. In that respect alone, it’s unconstitutional.

So Mr. Cruz, remember that. long ago, another great man stood alone, and fought for the rights of his people, and he fought for years.   There is no statue anywhere for his efforts. No great monuments to applaud the lone soldier of freedom. Nope, our increasingly tyrannical government doesn’t want you to remember the only founder, who fought for the slaves freedom. He just wasn’t a very pleasant fellow.

Today I just heard Brit Hume say that the Republican’s tea party are not standing on principle.

What—– Baloney.

Obamacare IS unconstitutional. That’s a fact. No matter what the corrupt John Roberts says. Some things…never change.

I changed the channel, cussed him out, and remembered….what one man can do, when he stands on principle alone.

October 1, 2013 Posted by Joyanna Adams | American History, Obamacare | Congress, Constitution, Gag Rule, History, John Quincy Adams, Obama, Obamacare | Leave a comment