Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 8
1839-11-07
Fine day. Office. Afternoon at home and Evening.
I began today upon my town life. The regular series of occupations not very interesting to record, but sufficiently so to keep me contented and happy.
I forgot to mention that yesterday I found an article in the Courier criticizing my review of the Philadelphia Manifesto. The temper in which it was written betrayed to me for the first time the shape which malevolence will assume towards me. A pretty broad stroke at my situation with some hints about aristocracy in order to destroy the force of my argument.1 Well, this must be the consequence of distinction. I perceive now for the first time the force of my labours in gaining me reputation. Nevertheless I thought it prudent to turn the edge of this article by a mild reply swallowing the honey and rejecting the gall in 323the composition.2 Office, did work and by night I finished the article for Hunt.
The first two papers had elicited comment in a letter signed “Monitor” in the Boston Courier on 28 Oct. (p. 3, col. 4). The letter published there on the 6th (p. 2, col. 5), over the signature “Mercator,” was somewhat more critical but not unfriendly except in objecting that CFA’s statement, “The weak never gain much of the sympathy of the community, nor command their respect ...” sounds like the utterance of “a high-toned aristocrat” and is “uncalled for” and “unkind.”
In his reply, signed “A,” CFA asserts that “Mercator” had totally misunderstood his meaning, that in speaking of the “weak” he referred to the “morally weak” (Courier, 8 Nov., p. 2, col. 3).