Morning to the Office. Weather again severely cold, although I did not feel it nearly so much as before. My Wife received an amusing Letter from my Father,1 which I read. It is full of the Washington scandal, but sarcastic enough. I was very much prevented from attending to any thing in particular, by several visits I made. One to Mr. Brooks to inquire how Mrs. B. did, one to Edward Blake to know what the result of the meeting of the Committee was. I was very little interrupted however while at the Office, so that I had opportunity to finish the record of my Diary, which had been lagging behind.

In the afternoon, instead of reading Demosthenes, I was engaged in making preparation for some few remarks I had to submit at the Meeting in the Evening.2 My arrangements this day were short, for my only duty was that of attack of a proposition without submitting any thing for a substitute. But I pursued the course I always propose, that of methodizing my ideas in such a manner as to present a clear and definite statement of my grounds of argument, and not going at all out of the way. I accordingly attended and succeeded in submitting my propositions very distinctly. They brought on an animated discussion 156which lasted till quite late, and though myself considerably attacked, I had no opportunity to reply, a thing perhaps a little lucky for me, for I was perhaps a little too warm. We adjourned, and I returned home tolerably well content—My powers of speaking being undoubtedly improving.