Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 6
1836-02-09
I went to the Office and occupied myself there with making a new draught of a letter inasmuch as it was of great importance. And having finished only half of it before the hour for leaving, adjourned it to Afternoon when I finished what I deem infinitely better.
The Advocate of this morning contains my father’s Speech with my hints enlarged and commented upon in the Editorial.1 He makes strange work with my style but as it is in no way of being known, I am indifferent. The Speech itself continues to be the theme of Whig vituperation—On many accounts I very much regret it. The Speech was a hasty one and hazarded his position between the contending powers far too much. The Jackson party do not thank him and the Whigs hate him worse than ever. Walk and read Livy.
Sent my paper to Mr. Hallett directly as he appeared desirous to have it. It seems to me one of the best I have written. Learning also that my Mother had been somewhat ill, I wrote to my father a remonstrance against the mode of leaving us in such a State of ignorance.2 Evening, I was at home, reading the Duchesse d’Abrantés, and afterwards German, but as usual I feel the fatigue of reading a book over twice.
The Daily Advocate, along with the full text of JQA’s speech in the House on 22 Jan. “on his Resolution for the appointment of a Select Committee to inquire into the causes of the failure of the Fortification Bill, at the last session of Congress” (9 Feb., p. 2, cols. 1–6), carried a long editorial comment upon it: “The Whigs have taken great offence ... and have burst out upon Mr. Adams ... because in simple self-defence, he has commented with merited severity upon the charges ... brought by Mr. Webster against Mr. Adams and every member of the House who voted for the three millions defence....
“Mr. Adams seeks to conciliate nobody. He has, in turn, attacked almost every party, without stopping to consider the consequences.... He now stands entirely alone.... He goes in quest of the truth, let it touch where it may” (p. 3, col. 1).
The letter to JQA has not been found. JQA, in a letter to CFA, 28 Jan. (Adams Papers), receipt of which CFA nowhere mentions, had written, however, that LCA was then suffering “a severe attack of the Erisypelas.”