hero tales from american history-第13章
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e expulsion； I disdain and cast away their mercy； and I ask if they will come to such a trial and expel me。 I defy them。 I have constituents to go to； and they will have something to say if this House expels me； nor will it be long before the gentlemen will see me here again。〃 The fight went on for nearly a fortnight； and on February 7 the whole subject was finally laid on the table。 The sturdy； dogged fighter； single…handed and alone； had beaten all the forces of the South and of slavery。 No more memorable fight has ever been made by one man in a parliamentary body； and after this decisive struggle the tide began to turn。 Every year Mr。 Adams renewed his motion to strike out the gag rule； and forced it to a vote。 Gradually the majority against it dwindled； until at last； on December 3； 1844； his motion prevailed。 Freedom of speech had been vindicated in the American House of Representatives； the right of petition had been won； and the first great blow against the slave power had been struck。
Four years later Mr。 Adams fell； stricken with paralysis； at his place in the House； and a few hours afterward； with the words； 〃This is the last of earth； I am content；〃 upon his lips； he sank into unconsciousness and died。 It was a fit end to a great public career。 His fight for the right of petition is one to be studied and remembered； and Mr。 Adams made it practically alone。 The slaveholders of the South and the representatives of the North were alike against him。 Against him； too； as his biographer； Mr。 Morse； says； was the class in Boston to which he naturally belonged by birth and education。 He had to encounter the bitter resistance in his own set of the 〃conscienceless respectability of wealth；〃 but the great body of the New England people were with him； as were the voters of his own district。 He was an old man； with the physical infirmities of age。 His eyes were weak and streaming； his hands were trembling； his voice cracked in moments of excitement； yet in that age of oratory； in the days of Webster and Clay； he was known as the 〃old man eloquent。〃 It was what he said； more than the way he said it； which told。 His vigorous mind never worked more surely and clearly than when he stood alone in the midst of an angry House； the target of their hatred and abuse。 His arguments were strong； and his large knowledge and wide experience supplied him with every weapon for defense and attack。 Beneath the lash of his invective and his sarcasm the hottest of the slaveholders cowered away。 He set his back against a great principle。 He never retreated an inch； he never yielded； he never conciliated； he was always an assailant； and no man and no body of men had the power to turn him。 He had his dark hours； he felt bitterly the isolation of his position； but he never swerved。 He had good right to set down in his diary； when the gag rule was repealed； 〃Blessed； forever blessed； be the name of God。〃
FRANCIS PARKMAN
He told the red man's story； far and wide He searched the unwritten annals of his race； He sat a listener at the Sachem's side； He tracked the hunter through his wild…wood chase。
High o'er his head the soaring eagle screamed； The wolfs long howl rang nightly； through the vale Tramped the lone bear； the panther's eyeballs gleamed； The bison's gallop thundered on the gale。
Soon o'er the horizon rose the cloud of strife； Two proud； strong nations battling for the prize： Which swarming host should mould a nation's life； Which royal banner flout the western skies。
Long raged the conflict； on the crimson sod Native and alien joined their hosts in vain； The lilies withered where the lion trod； Till Peace lay panting on the ravaged plain。
A nobler task was theirs who strove to win The blood…stained heathen to the Christian fold； To free from Satan's clutch the slaves of sin； These labors； too； with loving grace he told。
Halting with feeble step； or bending o'er The sweet…breathed roses which he loved so well； While through long years his burdening cross he bore； From those firm lips no coward accents fell。
A brave bright memory！ His the stainless shield No shame defaces and no envy mars！ When our far future's record is unsealed； His name will shine among its morning stars。 Holmes。
FRANCIS PARKMAN （1822…1893）
The stories in this volume deal； for the most part； with single actions； generally with deeds of war and feats of arms。 In this one I desire to give if possible the impression； for it can be no more than an impression； of a life which in its conflicts and its victories manifested throughout heroic qualities。 Such qualities can be shown in many ways； and the field of battle is only one of the fields of human endeavor where heroism can be displayed。
Francis Parkman was born in Boston on September 16； 1822。 He came of a well…known family； and was of a good Puritan stock。 He was rather a delicate boy； with an extremely active mind and of a highly sensitive； nervous organization。 Into everything that attracted him he threw himself with feverish energy。 His first passion； when he was only about twelve years old； was for chemistry； and his eager boyish experiments in this direction were undoubtedly injurious to his health。 The interest in chemistry was succeeded by a passion for the woods and the wilderness； and out of this came the longing to write the history of the men of the wilderness； and of the great struggle between France and England for the control of the North American continent。 All through his college career this desire was with him； and while in secret he was reading widely to prepare himself for his task； he also spent a great deal of time in the forests and on the mountains。 To quote his own words； he was 〃fond of hardships； and he was vain of enduring them； cherishing a sovereign scorn for every physical weakness or defect； but deceived； moreover； by the rapid development of frame and sinew； which flattered him into the belief that discipline sufficiently unsparing would harden him into an athlete； he slighted the precautions of a more reasonable woodcraft； tired old foresters with long marches； stopped neither for heat nor for rain； and slept on the earth without blankets。〃 The result was that his intense energy carried him beyond his strength； and while his muscles strengthened and hardened； his sensitive nervous organization began to give way。 It was not merely because he led an active outdoor life。 He himself protests against any such conclusion； and says that 〃if any pale student glued to his desk here seek an apology for a way of life whose natural fruit is that pallid and emasculate scholarship； of which New England has had too many examples； it will be far better that this sketch had not been written。 For the student there is； in its season； no better place than the saddle； and no better companion than the rifle or the oar。〃
The evil that was done was due to Parkman's highly irritable organism； which spurred him to excess in everything he undertook。 The first special sign of the mischief he was doing to himself and his health appeared in a weakness of sight。 It was essential to his plan of historical work to study not only books and records but Indian life from the inside。 Therefore； having graduated from college and the law…school； he felt that the time had come for this investigation； which would enable him to gather material for his history and at the same time to rest his eyes。 He went to the Rocky Mountains； and after great hardships； living in the saddle； as he said； with weakness and pain； he joined a band of Ogallalla Indians。 With them he remained despite his physical suffering； and from them he learned； as he could not have learned in any other way； what Indian life really was。
The immediate result of the journey was his first book； instinct with the freshness and wildness of the mountains and the prairies； and called by him 〃The Oregon Trail。〃 Unfortunately； the book was not the only outcome。 The illness incurred during his journey from fatigue and exposure was followed by other disorders。 The light of the sun became insupportable； and his nervous vous system was entirely deranged。 His sight was now so impaired that he was almost blind； and could neither read nor write。 It was a terrible prospect for a brilliant and ambitious man； but Parkman faced it unflinchingly。 He devised a frame by which he could write with closed eyes； and books and manuscripts were read to him。 In this way he began the history of 〃The Conspiracy of Pontiac；〃 and for the first half…year the rate of composition covered about six lines a day。 His courage was rewarded by an improvement in his health； and a little more quiet in nerves and brain。 In two and a half years he managed to complete the book。 He then entered upon his great subject of 〃France in the New World。〃 The material was mostly in manuscript； and had to be examined； gathered； and selected in Europe and in Canada。 He could not read； he could write only a very little and that with difficulty； and yet he pressed on。 He slowly collected his material and digested and arranged it； using the eyes of others to do that which he could not do himself； and always on the verge of a complete breakdown of mind and body。 In 1851 he had an effusion of water on the left knee； which stopped his outdoor exercise； on which he had always largely depended。 All the irritability of the system then centered in the head； resulting in intense pain and in a restless and devouring activity of thought。 He himself says： 〃The whirl； the confusion； and strange； undefined tortures attending this condition are only to be conceived by one who has felt them。〃 The resources of surgery and medicine were exhausted in vain。 The trouble in the head and eyes constantly recurred。 In 1858 there came a period when for four years he was incapable of the slightest mental application； and the attacks varied in duration from four hours to as many months。 When the pressure was lightened a little he went back to his work。 When work was impossible； he turned to horticulture； grew roses； and wrote a book about the cultivation of those flowers which is a standard authority。
As he grew older the attacks moderated； although they never departed。 Sleeplessness pursued him always； the slightest excitement would deprive him of the power of exertion； his sight was always sensitive； and at times he was bordering on blindness。 In this hard…pressed way he fought the battle of life。 He says himself that his books took four times as long to prepare and write as if he had been strong and able to use his faculties。 That this should have been the case is little wonder； for those books came into being with failing sight and shattered nerves； with sleeplessness and pain； and the menace of insanity ever hanging over the brave man who； nevertheless； carried them through to an end。
Yet the result of those fifty years； even in amount； is a noble one； and would have been great achievement for a man who had never known a sick day。 In quality； and subject； and method of narration； they leave little to be desired。 There； in Parkman's volumes； is told vividly； strongly； and truthfully； the history of the great struggle between France and England for the mastery of the North American cont
