Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 6
1835-11-09
This is the famous day of Governor’s election, upon which I have thought so much depended respecting the future politics of the State. The indications are so very confusing as to make it difficult to decide what the general result will be. Even in Boston the divisions have been so great as to render it impossible to foretell any thing. We shall know next week.
The day was dark and gloomy. I went to the Office and occupied myself as usual. Went to the Polls and voted the whole Antimasonic ticket. I did not take the trouble to examine it as there was no probability of success. The activity did not appear to be very great.
After doing my work, I had a little leisure which I thought I would spend in a visit to see T. K. Davis. Talk upon politics—A. H. Everett upon whom there is a most ferocious attack in this day’s Atlas.1 I had a great mind to answer it but concluded that the part of wisdom would be to avoid personal altercations.
Home. Juvenal 10th Satire, Vanity of human wishes. Afternoon reading Aristotles Politics. And evening working upon my Medals and Coins. Afterwards, Antommarchi.2
On 8 Nov. in Faneuil Hall in a public meeting of supporters of the antimasonic candidates in the state election and of Van Buren’s presidential aspirations, A. H. Everett had denied the charges made against him in the Daily Atlas (see the entry for 2 Nov., above) and had attacked the Atlas sharply. In its issue of this day, the Atlas reaffirmed its charge of “venal apostacy,” labeled him “a traitor to his principles and his party,” and concentrated its opposition to the antimasonic slate upon Everett’s candidacy for the State Senate from Suffolk (p. 2, col. 4). In announcing Everett’s defeat in its issue of 12 Nov., the Atlas continued its vitriolic attack (p. 2, cols. 1–2).
From the Athenaeum, Francesco Antommarchi, Last Days of Napoleon, 2 vols., London, 1825.