Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 8
1838-03-06
A very lovely day. Office. My Wife appears really a little better today. Nothing new. I was engaged in accounts. Home, Sophocles with which I make some progress but not so much as I ought. Afternoon coins. Evening, Mr. Brooks came in to tea after which I accompanied him down to his son Edward’s where there was a family party.
Conversation with Edward about his course in the Legislature, with the results of which he seems to have better cause to be satisfied than I had expected.1 He has at least the satisfaction of thinking he has done some good.
From thence I went at nine o’clock to a party at Miss Scollay’s 4where I had been invited and an acquaintance formed. A small number but not unpleasant. Returned by eleven rather fatigued.
Edward Brooks had been a leading figure in the legislature in preventing action by that body to minimize or annul statutory penalties against failed banks. JQA was among those who predicted that the legislature would take such action and further that CFA would approve of it. CFA, in reporting Brooks’ efforts, took somewhat heated exception to JQA’s assumption (JQA to CFA, 4 March; CFA to JQA, 12 March, LbC; both in Adams Papers).