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his Virginia quiddities," and the new Speaker continued his predecessors' policy of sidelining the veteran Massa- chusetts representative in committee and on the floor. 25 e Twenty-Seventh Congress, however, saw the Whigs seize control of the House and elect John White of Ken- tucky to the chair (fig. 10). For the first time the former president would serve alongside a Speaker exclusively of his party's choosing, and he was rewarded with appoint- ment to the coveted station at the head of the Foreign Relations Committee. Yet while Adams considered White "a man of fine talents"—albeit prone to the irri- tating habit of "repeat[ing] the word 'Sir' at least every fih word"—he was still "a slave-holding Speaker," and their shared party affinity could not prevent further col- lisions over the continuation of the Gag Rule. 26 One such memorable occasion, in February 1842, was witnessed by the abolitionist eodore Dwight Weld. Adams had presented a petition addressed from Georgia, praying his removal as Chair of Foreign Rela- tions on account of his antislavery views. "e slave- holders instantly pounced upon it, as upon every thing likely to lead to discussion of slavery, and moved to lay it on the table," Weld informed his wife, "but Mr. A. started the question of privilege, demanding to be heard in his own defence against an attack upon him as a member of the house and at the head of one of its committees." As Adams knew, the rules of the House gave a Member raising a matter of privilege—that, is affecting their rights, reputation or conduct—priority on the floor, as well as great latitude in making his reply. "So the Old Nestor lied up his voice like a trumpet," flaying the institution of slavery, while scores of slave- holders gathered around him, "screaming at the top of their voices: 'at is false.' 'I demand Mr. Speaker that you put him down.' 'What are we to sit here and endure such insults.' 'I demand that you shut the mouth of that old harlequin.'" 27 Finally silenced by White, Adams retired to his seat, only to replay the entire episode a few days later when he provoked rash Southerners into a motion of censure over his presentation of a second petition, this time from Massachusetts, which called for the Union to be dissolved in order to sunder their connection to slavery. Once again, Adams demanded the privilege of defending himself, and this time he kept up his assault on slavery for nearly two weeks before his critics, realiz- ing their mistake, agreed to table their motion. e result was that Adams remained as chair of Foreign Relations, while the entire Southern contingent of the committee Fig. 10. William Gerard Barry (1864–1941) painted this portrait of John White (1911) from an unidentified orig- inal. is and other Speakers' portraits from the same period (including figs. 11 and 12) were commissioned for an intended series including every former Speaker. Fig. 11. John W. Jones (1911), by James B. Sword (1839– 1915) from an original portrait by Louis Wieser THE CAPITOL DOME 24