Whenever he arose to speak, it was a signal for a general abandonment of listlessness and inattention.

Members dropped their newspapers and pamphlets--knots of consulting politicians in different parts of the Hall were dissolved--Representatives came hastily in from lobbies, committee-rooms, the surrounding grounds--and all eagerly clustered around his chair to listen to words of wisdom, patriotism, and truth, as they dropped burning from the lips of "the old man eloquent!" The confidence placed in him in emergencies, was unbounded.

A case in point is afforded in the history of the difficulty occasioned by the double delegation from New Jersey.
On the opening of the 26th Congress, in December, 1839, in consequence of a two-fold delegation from New-Jersey, the House was unable, for some time, to complete its organization, and presented to the country and the world the perilous and discreditable aspect of the assembled Representatives of the people, unable to form themselves into a constitutional body.

On first assembling, the House has no officers, and the Clerk of the preceding Congress acts, by usage, as chairman of the body, till a Speaker is chosen.

On this occasion, after reaching the State of New Jersey, the acting Clerk declined to proceed in calling the roll, and refused to entertain any of the motions which were made for the purpose of extricating the House from its embarrassment.