Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 3

Friday. 8th.

Sunday. 10th.

Saturday. 9th. CFA

1830-10-09

Saturday. 9th. CFA
Saturday. 9th.

Morning cloudy and it soon after began to rain, which lasted through the day. At the Office after a walk to the south end of the town to collect the Dividends due upon the personal property there and to look at the three Tenements which are now all empty. Found 336them in better condition than I anticipated, but felt a little anxiety about them, as they ought not to stand empty. Returned and was busy with various persons calling until my father came in, for whom I immediately went out on business.

Returning, found at my Office, Mr. Alex. H. Everett and his brother in law Mr. Peabody.1 They called to examine the office opposite to me which he has been fiddling about so long. The real secret however, I suspect to be that he wanted to see about the effect produced upon me by that affair of my Article. He alluded to it, and I was very frank with him. After transacting business, my father returned with me to my House, where I found my Mother tolerably well and come in to dine and spend the Night.

The President and I dined with Mr. Everett at Charlestown. Company consisted of Genl. Van Rensselaer, Judge Johnson, Mr. Schroeder of Baltimore, Commodore Morris, Mr. Hale, Mr. Alex. H. Everett, Palfrey, Peabody, Batchelder and Son, and a Son of Mr. Johnson at Cambridge.2 The dinner was a little dull. The persons in the Company being ill assorted. I sat between Peabody and Batchelder Jr. and extracted from the former more than I expected. I forgot to mention Mr. B. Gorham, the pleasantest of all. Returned in the rain and passed the Evening in conversation.

1.

Oliver William Bourne Peabody (1799–1848), Harvard 1816, brother of Lucretia Orne (Peabody) Everett. After A. H. Everett purchased the North American Review Peabody moved to Boston to assist in editing it ( DAB ).

2.

Josiah Stoddard Johnston (1784–1833), U.S. Senator from Louisiana, had earlier been a district judge in his state (JQA, Diary, 9 Oct.; Biog. Dir. Cong. ). His son may have been Thomas Jones Johnston, originally a member of the Harvard class of 1821, who received his degree out of course in 1833 (Corporation Records, 5:254, 335, MH-Ar).