There can be no doubt that many of the best friends of Mr.Adams seriously questioned the propriety of his appearing as a Representative in the halls of Congress.

It was a step never before taken by an ex-President of the United States.

They apprehended it might be derogatory to his dignity, and injurious to his reputation and fame, to enter into the strifes, and take part in the litigations and contentions which characterize the national House of Representatives.

Moreover, they were fearful that in measuring himself, as he necessarily must, in the decline of life, with younger men in the prime of their days, who were urged by the promptings of ambition to tax every capacity of their nature, he might injure his well-earned reputation for strength of intellect, eloquence and statesmanship.

But these misgivings were groundless.