Civil War Humor

See, back in in the 1830s, the pro-slavery faction in the House of Representatives instituted a gag rule, formalizing the practice that petitions related to slavery would NOT be “entertained” -- which is an old-timey parliamentary way of saying they’d be “totally ignored.”pic.twitter.com/EmoMA4f3y4

You’re thinking: “But CWH, that’s not the America I know. Why, nowadays, we are ONLY TOO WILLING to reckon with our past. Hell, a gag rule is basically like firing teachers for acknowledging systemic racism or outlawing theories we don’t understand.” Hard to imagine, huh?pic.twitter.com/eIPoyX1GMf

Bored after his presidency, Adams, nicknamed “Old Man Eloquent,” went back to Congress at the age of 64 (so he’d be considered young for Congress now), becoming a staunch anti-slavery advocate and an enemy of this guy, John Calhoun, who backed the gag rule cuz of course he did.pic.twitter.com/iiEEpCbXf2

Adams was no radical abolitionist, but hated slavery. In 1820, he wrote: “It establishes false estimates of virtue and vice: for what can be more false and heartless than this doctrine which makes the first and holiest rights of humanity to depend upon the color of the skin?”pic.twitter.com/80f5MRWR5F

Half the reason the House passed the gag rule was cuz Adams kept presenting petitions from citizens about the evils of slavery. They also didn’t like his attacks on the “Slave Power” -- the idea that the fed govt was in the grip of a small group of rich white supremacists. #Hmmpic.twitter.com/8gWdXtVgER

Adams was a master of parliamentary proceedings (imagine having ONE congressperson like that now), and he used the gag rule’s formality against it. See, you had to ASK if a petition would violate the gag rule -- but just by “innocently” asking, he was de-facto raising the topic.pic.twitter.com/nRZIHHF6FS

One of Adams’ neatest tricks was trying to present abolition petitions from women; since women were, ahem, non-voters, he argued they shouldn’t be subject to the gag rule. He even tried submitting petitions from SOUTHERN women, baiting the pro-slavery camp into further debate.pic.twitter.com/UMP1250yh6

Adams also tried to get around the gag rule by submitting petitions as “prayers for abolition.” Indeed, he hammered away at the religious angle, calling slavery a “sin against God,” for which, in the grand old American tradition of Christian virtue, he got TONS of death threats.pic.twitter.com/UWhVhiQPpt

Then Adams went further: asking to present a (probably fake) petition from enslaved people. To say it didn’t go well would be an understatement. Outraged Representatives argued he should be censured, which kicked off a days-long debate. Which is exactly what Adams wanted. #Winkpic.twitter.com/fxrqWOfET8

As Rep after Rep attacked Adams (who stood virtually alone) for asking to give voice to enslaved people, he was allowed to defend himself. And when he defended himself, he got to bring up slavery. And he posed another question: How could ANY speech be banned on the House floor?pic.twitter.com/k3caJC7jrI

Adams knew that the best way to attack a bad cause was, then as now, through withering sarcasm and cold logic. He EXCELLED at slyly noting the gag rule’s absurdity. During one debate about whether there COULD be a debate, he got frustrated and yelled, “Am I gagged or am I not?”pic.twitter.com/OAMsqAd7Ol

He also realized that a certain kind of “free speech advocate” gets AWFULLY uncomfortable if you talk about things they don’t wanna talk about: like race. In the end, Adams wasn’t censured, but it was resolved that only white people could bring petitions. So we got THAT settled.pic.twitter.com/1r50Je9iK0

But Adams, by inviting days of condemnation on himself, had made a point. Calhoun called him a “mischievous old man.” And as anti-slavery opinion heated up in the North, more Reps began siding with Adams. The gag rule was finally overturned in the House in 1844. Suck it, Calhoun.pic.twitter.com/TDNTfzCCKZ

Adams also had a big role in the Amistad case (pro bono), but that’s a story for another thread, or a Spielberg movie. I’ve always thought, though, that Anthony Hopkins was the PERFECT choice to play him, cuz, in life, John Quincy Adams was so often mistaken for Hannibal Lecter.pic.twitter.com/LjTzeybeoR