Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 6
1835-07-08
Weather excessively sultry and damp. I went down to see Mr. Sharp about the medal case and consulted for the usual time without coming to any decision. I concluded however upon having him begin upon it. He said he was so occupied he could do nothing until next week before which time I agreed to see him again.
To the Office where I was engaged in writing an Article for the 174Newspaper at Bridgewater. Mr. Thomas of Plymouth is supposed to be the writer of a short comment upon my Papers under the Editorial head. I have taken advantage of it and written a letter which will I expect secure my introduction into his columns.1 It is not carefully written for the purpose of leaving an opening for reply, upon which I propose to make my vehement assault. I think if well managed this will do for the whole County of Plymouth. I sent it by mail at noon. Home, the afternoon passed in writing my Number 5 which I at last got into shape, and by night nearly completed.
On 26 June in the Bridgewater paper, We, the People, the editor had commented on the papers of “Political Speculation” and, while disagreeing with the outright anti-Webster position taken in them, noted that “They are written in a style quite above the ordinary tone of political newspaper discussion, and exhibit much acuteness as well as plausibility of reasoning” (p. 2, col. 4). CFA’s reply, which he signed “A Whig Antimason” and dated the 4th We, the People on 17 July (p. 2, cols. 4–5) and reprinted in the Advocate on 21 July (p. 2, cols. 3–4) with the editorial comment that it is “excellent and highly judicious,” to be commended “earnestly to all Antimasons, every where.” CFA’s hopes that his letter would lead to other appearances of his work in We, the People proved soundly based; see the note to the entry for 23 June, above.