slaveholders. One fruit of this agitation was the appearance of
petitions for the abolition of slavery in the House of
Representatives. A few were presented by Mr. Adams without
attracting much notice; but as the petitions multiplied, the
Southern representatives became aroused. They assailed Mr. Adams
for presenting them, and finally passed what was known as the gag
rule, which prevented the reception of these petitions by the
House. Against this rule Mr. Adams protested, in the midst of the
loud shouts of the Southerners, as a violation of his
constitutional rights. But the tyranny of slavery at that time
was so complete that the rule was adopted and enforced, and the
slaveholders, undertook in this way to suppress free speech in
the House, just as they also undertook to prevent the
transmission through the mails of any writings adverse to
slavery. With the wisdom of a statesman and a man of affairs, Mr.
Adams addressed himself to the one practical point of the
contest. He did not enter upon a discussion of slavery or of its
abolition, but turned his whole force toward the vindication of
the right of petition. On every petition day he would offer, in
constantly increasing numbers, petitions which came to him from
all parts of the country for the abolition of slavery, in this
way driving the Southern representatives almost to madness,
despite their rule which prevented the reception of such
documents when offered. Their hatred of Mr. Adams is something
difficult to conceive, and they were burning to break him down,
and, if possible, drive him from the House. On February 6, 1837,
after presenting the usual petitions, Mr. Adams offered one upon
which he said he should like the judgment of the Speaker as to
its propriety, inasmuch as it was a petition from slaves. In a
moment the House was in a tumult, and loud cries of "Expel him!"