Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 4
1832-04-19
Another cold and cloudy disagreeable day. Our bad weather all comes at once. I read a little Italian. Then to the Office. Time variously occupied. Read a little of Gibbon however. Had a long conversation with Mr. Peabody and afterwards a walk. One interruption from Mrs. Armstrong in the morning and three in the Afternoon. She is a very great nuisance. Finished reading the Moorish Letters of Cadalso. He is, I find, one of the Classical writers of Spain. I think his book a pretty trifle enough. I afterwards read the first Chapter of Mariana’s History of Spain.1 I doubt whether I shall have the vigour to go on with it. He begins with the Deluge. Read Mr. Everett’s Memorial in favour of the restriction party. It seems to me very good. Though it is not entirely to my satisfaction. His strictures upon Mr. Gallatin are not agreeable to me. I am no friend of this gentleman, but I hate base measures.2 Went to a party at Mrs. Frothingham’s in the evening. Felt a little dull but on the whole got through it well. Read only the Rambler.
There are two copies of Histoire generale d’Espagne by Jean de Mariana at MQA, one of the edition in 9 vols., Paris, 1723, the other of that in 5 vols., Paris, 1725. Both bear JQA’s bookplate.
On 26 March the Speaker conveyed to the House of Representatives and the Vice-President to the Senate “The memorial of a convention of Friends of domestic industry assembled at New York on 25 Oct. last,” which was signed by A. H. Everett as chairman and dated Boston, 19 March 1832. Copies were ordered printed and became available on 4 April (Edward Everett to A. H. Everett, 23, 26 March; 4 April, Everett MSS, MHi).
The memorial was intended as a definitive statement of the protectionist or restrictionist position on the tariff and as a reply to the memorial of the Free Trade Convention in Philadelphia written by Albert Gallatin (see above, entry for 20 Feb., note). Like Clay’s reply to Gallatin, but in a more veiled manner, the memorial attacked the “foreign origin” of the anti-protectionist ideas and alluded to the interests of “the Swiss manufacturer” being served by it (Memorial ... of Friends of Domestic Industry [Washington, 1832], p. 9; HA, Gallatin
, p. 641).