Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 2

40 9. IX. CFA

1826-04-09

9. IX. CFA
9. IX.

At home all day, letter to my Grandfather, La Cretelle, evening, visit from W. Lee, duel, Mr. Clay, Mr. Randolph, excitement.1

1.

Bitterly opposed to JQA and suspicious of Clay, John Randolph of Roanoke on 30 March attacked the alliance of these two leaders as “the coalition of Blifil and Black George,” a combination “of the puritan with the blackleg.” Clay challenged the Virginian to a duel, which took place on the Virginia side of the Potomac on 8 April. Neither man was wounded. See DAB ; Van Deusen, Clay , p. 219–223.

10. IX:30. CFA

1826-04-10

10. IX:30. CFA
10. IX:30.

At home all day, Martens Law of Nations,1 La Cretelle, political excitement, evening visit from Mr. Cook of Illinois.

1.

A copy of G. F. von Martens, Précis du droit des gens moderne de l’Europe, 2 vols., Göttingen, 1789, is in the Stone Library.

11. IX. CFA

1826-04-11

11. IX. CFA
11. IX.

At home all day, Martens, La Cretelle, politics, evening at home, extreme quiet, other duels reported.

12. VIII:50. CFA

1826-04-12

12. VIII:50. CFA
12. VIII:50.

At home all day, Martens, La Cretelle, Spanish, small dinner party, Gales family, Seaton, Mr. Gallatin, Mr. Dorsey.1

1.

Joseph Gales (1786–1860) and William Winston Seaton (1785–1866) were co-editors of the National Intelligencer, the Washington newspaper which strongly supported JQA’s administration ( DAB ). Clement Dorsey (1778–1848) was a Maryland Representative from 1825 to 1831 ( Biog. Dir. Cong. ).

13. IX. CFA

1826-04-13

13. IX. CFA
13. IX.

At home all day, Martens, La Cretelle, Spanish, evening, long ride with my Mother, family.

14. VIII:50. CFA

1826-04-14

14. VIII:50. CFA
14. VIII:50.

Morning at home, weather rainy, Martens. Walk to Capitol, House of Representatives, Mr. Webster, Panama question,1 evening at home.

1.

Advocating the appropriation of funds for sending the United States ministers to the Inter-American Congress at Panama, Daniel Webster opposed Louis McLane’s amendment (see entry for 4 April, above), which would have instructed the envoys ( Register of Debates in Congress , 19 Cong., 1 sess., 2:2254–2277).

15. IX. CFA

1826-04-15

15. IX. CFA
15. IX.

At home all day, assorting Newspapers, idle, La Cretelle, evening visits from Mr. Dorsey and Judge Pope of Illinois,1 family.

41
1.

Nathaniel Pope (1784–1850), who had earlier been a congressional Delegate from Illinois Territory, was United States judge for the district of Illinois from 1819 until his death ( Biog. Dir. Cong. ).