Description:

John Quincy Adams
n.p., ca. June 1838
JQ Adams Anti-Slavery & Pro-Women Speech Portion Re: Annexation of TX & "female anti-Texas and anti-slavery petitioners", Over 700 Words In His Hand
AM

A partial handwritten speech by John Quincy Adams on the annexation of Texas. 2pp on one sheet, measuring 6.5" x 7.75", n.p., n.d. [ca. June 1838]. With over 700 words in Adams' hand. The document has been silked on both sides. With chipping and paper loss at the edges, affecting some of the text. Flattened folds with light toning and soiling throughout. Overall very good.

In this partial section of the speech, Adams refers to the Gag Rule, which passed in 1836 to present House discussion of petitions related to slavery, and the annexation of Texas and its relation to slavery. He also praises the work of women who sought to end the evils of slavery through their own petitions and highlight the importance of female involvement in politics.

Reading in part:
"…To my liege lord, therefore, the Guatimozin of the late Committee on Foreign Affairs, I reply, that smarting as he "now does upon the burning coals, of a casual and momentary interdict upon his right and privilege of speech In the Representative Hall of the Union, I trust he will never more, as principal or as accessary, stuff the gag into the mouths of his fellow-members of the House, or his own; that he will vote for no more resolutions to strangle the right of the People to petition, and the freedom of debate in the House; and that, notwithstanding his antipathy to female anti-Texas and anti-slavery petitioners, he will follow the example of a woman and Queen of ancient days, who by her own sufferings had learnt to relieve the sufferings of others…

…As for myself, I can assure him that neither he, nor his colleagues of the committee, nor the members from South Carolina, one and all, burning with thirst for the blessing of Texas and reinstituted slavery, regretted more than myself that they had not time and opportunity, to the utmost extent of their wishes, to answer me, and refute and expose as far as they were able the " many errors" of my speech. I entertain, however, an earnest wish and fervent hope that such time and opportunity will be amply afforded to them all at the next session of Congress, and that neither then, nor at any other time, will the law of slavery be ever again repeated in the assembly of the People of this Union in the shape of the tranquillizing gag of Pinckney and Patton…

… My intent, my sole intent, is, by the power of truth, of justice, and of ripening public opinion, to bring back him and the Administration to which he adheres, to the path of honor, of honesty, and of peace. To the path of Washington, and of Madison; for departing from that path in the ignis fatuus chase of Texas and redintegrated slavery, I have arraigned them before the tribunals…"

John Quincy Adams regularly presented the antislavery petitions he received from across the country, and he vehemently opposed the passage of the Gag Rule in 1836 that prevented House discussion of petitions related to slavery. He also opposed the annexation of Texas, and in 1838 he delivered a marathon speech condemning the evils of slavery. During Congress' debates over the annexation of Texas, he presented two petitions signed by roughly four hundred women from Massachusetts against the admission of Texas as a slave state. The chairman of the committee argued that "proper women" ought to be content with limiting their political agency to their domestic circle, allowing their male relatives to represent their opinions to the public sphere. Incensed, Adams responded with a speech delivered in fragments over the course of almost three weeks on the floor of Congress. He wove together practical examples of women's political activism from the ancient world to the American Revolution with a theoretical argument in favor of women's essential public role in republican societies.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 6.5" x 7.75"
  • Medium: AM

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