ndations of the Republic, and bearing
away upon its turbid waters the liberties of the people. And he resisted
not in vain.

The brave old man lived to see his labors, in this department of duty,
crowned with abundant success. One after another the cohorts of slavery
gave way before the incessant assaults, the unwearied perseverance, of Mr.
Adams, and the faithful compeers who were sent by the people to his
support. At length, in 1845, the obnoxious "gag rule" was rescinded, and
Congress consented to receive, and treat respectfully, all petitions on
the subject of slavery. This was a moral triumph which amply compensated
Mr. Adams for all the labors he had put forth, and for all the trials he
had endured to achieve it.

Yes; he "lived to hear that subject which of all others had been forbidden
an entrance into the Halls of Congress, fairly broached. He lived to
listen, with a delight all his own, to a high-souled, whole-hearted
speech on the slave question, from his colleague, Mr. Palfrey--a speech,
of which it is not too high praise to say, that it would not have
disparaged the exalted reputation of Mr. Adams, had he made it himself.
Aye, more, he lived to see the whole House of Representatives--the members
from the South, not less than those from the North, attentive and
respectful listeners to that speech of an hour's length, on the political
as well as moral aspect of slavery in this Republic. What a triumph! At
the close of it, the moral conqueror exclaimed, 'God be praised; the seals
are broken, the door is open.'" [Footnote: Rev. S. J. May.]

If anything were wanting to crown the fame of Mr. Adams, in the Last days
of life, with imperishable honor, or to add, if possible, new brilliancy
to the beams of his setting sun, it is found in his advocacy of the
freedom of the Amistad slaves.

A ship-load of negroes had been stolen from Africa, contrary to the law
of nations, of humanity and of God, and surreptitiously smuggled, in the
night, into the Island of Cuba. This act was piracy, according to the law
of Spain, and of all Governments in Christendom, and the perpetrators
thereof, had they been detected, would have been punished with death.
Immediately after the landing of these unfortunate Africans, about
thirty-six of them were purchased of the slave-pirates, by two Spaniards
named Don Jose Ruiz and Don Pedro Montes, who shipped them for Guanaja,
Cuba, in the schooner "Amistad." When three days out from Havana,