John Quincy Adams and Illinois; Wm. and Mary Qrtly., Vol. 18, No. 3

Transcribed by Kathy Merrill for the USGenWeb Archives Special Collections Project

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John Quincy Adams and Illinois

   William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Vol. 18, No. 3.
   (Jan, 1910), pp. 171-172.

                 JOHN QUINCY ADAMS AND ILLINOIS

   The following is extracted from a sketch of Hon. Meredith P. Gentry, by
Hon. Elxander H. Stephens, of Georgia, in Gentry, The Gentry Family in 
America:

   "It may be doubted in any Congress since the first has presented so many
new members [as the Twenty-Eighth Congress] who subsequently obtained such
distinction; indeed it was said before the expiration of that Congress that
there were at least twenty candidates for the Presidency in the number.  It
was thought that the Illinois delegation had at least three, perhaps more,
aspirants for that high office.  Upon all occasions when any new subject of
debate was started nearly every member of the Illinois delegation would speak,
and they all spoke well.  This gave rise to a rather amusing incident in the
House as to the proper pronunciation of the name of that State.  Mr. John
Campbell, of South Carolina, a most accomplished and scholarly gentleman, who
had been for many years a representative from that State, pronounced the
name "Ille-noi".  Other insisted that the right pronunciation was "Ill-nois".
Mr. Campbell appealed to the venerable gentleman from Massachusetts, Mr. 
John Quincy Adams, who was considered the highest authority in the House upon
all such questions.  Much interest was manifested as to what would be

Page 172.

the decision of the authority appealed to, and all eyes were directed to Mr.

Adams, when, with a smirking smile upon his face, he rose and spoke in sub-
stance as follows:  "Mr Speaker:  Non nostrum inter vos tantas componere
lites" (quoting the reply of Palaemon to Menalcas and Damaetas, from Virgil's
"Third Ecologue":  It is not for me to decide so great contests between you).
"If I were to judge of the proper pronunciation of the State from the
demonstrations of its delegations in the present Congress, I should say it

ought to be 'All-noise'," emphasizing with great effect the last syllable.
A roar of laughter was the result.


   The leading memebers of that state who were thus figuring in those debates
and who were thought to have aspirations for the Presidency even at that 
early date, were Mr. Douglas, who subsequently became so famous, John. J.
Hardin, who gallantly fell at the head of his regimental column at the
battle of Beuna Vista, one of the most agreeable and brightest men of his
day, and Mr. John A. McClernand, who then and subsequently acted so important
a part in the legislation of the country and figured so conspicuously in
command of a corps during the late war."