Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 2
1826-07-29
Steamboat into New York. I made an acquaintance in a Methodist parson from Missouri. A very well disposed man to all appearance. He talked politics, and asked me to correspond with him, gave me his address. Revd. James Keyte, St. Louis, Missouri. Spoke of Benton and his prospects, said Scott would probably lose his election although his opponent was not inimical to the administration. So far he has been right.1 Dr. Huntt went on in the Eastern boat. In the evening I went to the Canal Street Theatre with Watkins who is here on duty in his new capacity of Lieutenant of Marines. The melodrama of the Ruffian boy was performed, I was extremely inattentive.2
Senator Thomas Hart Benton and Representative John Scott were up for reelection in Missouri. One-time allies, they disagreed over JQA’s election to the Presidency and his later policies. Declaring against the administration, Benton won his election, but Scott was replaced by Edward Bates, who belonged to no party but admired Jeffersonianism and supported JQA. See William N. Chambers, Old Bullion Benton, Boston, 1956, p. 91–145. CFA did keep in touch with Mr. Keyte by sending him a copy of JQA’s annual message (10 Dec. 1826, LbC, Adams Papers).
Charles Dibdin’s The Ruffian Boy was playing at the Lafayette Theater, on the west side of Laurens Street near Canal Street. See D/CFA/1 under this date, and Hornblow, Theater
, 2:13.