Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 4
1831-03-10
Morning fine. Our Weather is uncommonly pleasant for this month. I suffered a little from head ach during the day owing to my Supper of last night. At the Office I found a package from Mr. Everett containing his Speech on the Indian Question, with which he had at last favoured me.1 Mr. E. thought I could buy his Speeches if I wanted them. And he had many people of more public influence than I might ever be to conciliate by these small marks of attention. Now however that he has a cheap edition to circulate, he can be gratious with one. I feel obliged to him for it, though after I had read it, I could not attach great intrinsic value to the present. He had better have been silent for he has done nothing by it.
I read a little of Lord Chatham’s Speech about the Falkland Islands,2 but was interrupted by the hour for my walk, which I took as usual. Afternoon, I finished the Oration for the Manilian Law; and began that in defence of Cluentius. The first is a little polished gem of much lustre, but not so solid as some of the law Orations. These show the greatest talent. The Oration for Cluentius is again in another style.
Miss Adams left us today. Evening alone with my Wife. I read to her a part of the Account of Captn. Parry’s first Voyage to the North Seas.3 After which Dr. Valpy and the Spectator. Horatio Brooks lodged here this night.
7The more recent of Edward Everett’s speeches on the Indians was delivered in the House on 14 and 21 Feb. and published as On the Execution of the Laws and Treaties in Favor of the Indian Tribes, Washington, 1831. Earlier, he had spoken on 19 May 1830, On the Bill for Removing the Indians from the East to the West Side of the Mississippi, Boston, 1830. Everett’s views as revealed in the speeches are closer to JQA’s than to CFA’s; see vol. 3:139.
The “Speech on the Seizure of Falkland’s Islands” is in vol. 2 of the edition of Anecdotes of William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, With his Speeches in Parliament, 1736–1778, published at London in 1792, owned by CFA, and now at MQA.
Sir William Edward Parry, Journal of a Voyage for the Discovery of a North-West Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific ... 1819–1820, London, 1821.