im no
satisfaction." He spoke with portentous gravity, and arrested the
attention of the country by the solemnity of his closing words:
"All I can scan is contention, strife, and agitation. The future
is full of difficulties and full of dangers. We appear to be
rushing on perils headlong, and with our eyes all open." There
was a singular disagreement between the speech and the vote of Mr.
Webster. The speech indicated his real position. His vote was in
deference to the opinion of Massachusetts. The most conspicuous
Northern Whigs who voted against the proviso were Alexander Ramsey
of Pennsylvania, since the distinguished Republican senator from
Minnesota, and Secretary of War under President Hayes; and Samuel
F. Vinton of Ohio, one of the oldest and ablest representatives in
Congress.

The House attached the proviso to the two-million bill, and thus
defeated it for the session. The Democratic Senate took it up on
the day fixed for final adjournment. The majority were not willing
to accept the appropriation with the anti-slavery condition upon
it, and John Davis of Massachusetts, fearing if the bill went back
to the House the proviso might on reconsideration be defeated,
deliberately held the floor until the session expired. In the next
session the two-million bill, increased to three millions, was
passed without the proviso, the administration being strong enough,
with the persuasions of its patronage, to defeat the anti-slavery
amendment in both branches.

During the proceedings on the three-million bill, an interesting
and instructive incident occurred. The venerable John Quincy Adams
appeared in the House for the first time during the session, on
the 13th of February (1847), having been detained by a very severe
illness. As he passed inside the door the entire House voluntarily
rose, business was suspended, and Mr. Andrew Johnson of Tennessee
(afterwards President of the United States), addressing the Chair,
said, that in compliance with the understanding with which he
selected a seat at the beginning of the session, he now tendered
it to the venerable member from Massachusetts, and congratulated
him on being spared to return to the House. Mr. Adams, enfeebled
by disease, tremulous with age, returned his thanks, regretting
that he had not "voice to respond to the congratulations of his
friends for the honor which had been done him." Among those who
paid this unusual, indeed unprecedented, mark of re