Cloudy and more mild. Day spent in attending corporation meetings. Evening Assembly.

I was entirely unable to be at my Office this morning as I was first called to attend a meeting of the Directors of the Middlesex Canal to organize, then to the Suffolk Insurance Company where the struggle between the Stockholders about the continuance of the charter was at length brought to a close, those who favored a continuation having the majority by a small number of votes. I was of the minority but am satisfied with the result if by it I am any better protected from loss. But my confidence in joint stock companies grows less every day so that having now nearly got myself out of Banks I propose to begin the same operation with Insurance companies, which are now at so low an ebb as to make it a more slow and dangerous process.

After the meeting I got into a conversation with Mr. H Cabot upon the subject of joint stock and expressed opinions which find very little currency here. I might have saved my labour.

Afternoon to the Annual Meeting of the South Cove Corporation. No subject of much interest agitated. Directors elected, but I found the feeling much firmer as to the success of the undertaking. I hope it is well founded for I have now too great a stake to be trifled with in that corporation, which I hope will not try it’s vitality as others do but die gently and gradually. Evening to the Assembly, thinner than usual, but very pleasant. We remained until after midnight.