Morning cold and Cloudy, making quite a dull day. I went to the Office as usual and was quite uninterrupted all the morning. My father’s Affairs trouble me considerably for now I have all my Tenants in arrears, and they do not come to me to make settlement but leave me to go to them, which is mighty disagreeable. Mr. Gay came to tell me that Whitney had put his case in their hands, and to beg that I would compound for three hundred dollars. I told him I thought it hard, but he said that I had better take it. Upon reflecting and consulting Mr. Kinsman I thought I would take 350 and will make the proposition tomorrow, as a final one, if rejected I then will refer it to my father and finally to arbitration, which will prevent going to Law. This is a monstrous disagreeable business but so it is.

I passed most of the morning in reading Williston and finished most of the Speeches of modern time in Congress, many of which hardly 177merit insertion in a Collection of Eloquence. The Speech of Mr. McDuffie however is an able effort, it stands well compared with the rest.1 Mr. Webster’s second part reached us this morning.2 It is better than the first and really powerful, but I cannot help feeling regret at the occasion being so small. As my Wife passed the day at Mrs. Frothingham’s, I went to dine there and had a time pretty much as usual. Returning to my room, I resumed Demosthenes but after such an interval that my relish for it today was injured. I completed my usual quantity however. The abuse of Aeschines is a little in bad taste, according to our present notions. He speaks of his Mother in a manner which would in these days provoke a duel. In the evening, I finished reading to Abby, Romeo and Juliet, and commenced King Lear, but my voice was so husky that I hardly did it justice. Afterwards I continued Lord Kaimes. Beauty of language.

Morning cold but clear, latterly as a violent March Wind arose and dispersed the fog. I went to the Office as usual and was occupied the larger part of the time in reading Williston. The conclusion of Mr. Webster’s Speech came on however and I sat down to read it carefully. It appears to be an exposition of his principles in opposition to the doctrines at present advanced by South Carolina. It is in the latter part argumentative in a high degree, but after all the subject does not form a true foundation for so large and unwieldy a superstructure. I think it may be ranked high as a defensive operation, and in opposition to the host of things laid upon the other side, but in itself it has not the merit which many other of his speeches on measures are entitled to claim.1 I also made some progress in Williston, finishing the Speeches in the deliberative style and beginning the Judicial, with Alexander Hamilton’s defence of Croswell,2 of which I did not think much. I had one or two interruptions, one from a person who came to tell me that my tenant Miss Longhurst had closed her career as a Milliner in Jail, and I am a loser of five hundred dollars without remedy. So much for that besides having another House upon my 178hands. Hollis the Carpenter came and I settled with him for the Quarter ending February 1st. My store is about being on my hands too. All this is trouble, and expense, vanity and vexation of spirit. After dinner I went down to the property and gave directions for repairs in order to get them ready to rent again, as soon as possible. This is now a poor property. Pity it was not sold during the time when land was so high. I returned and read Demosthenes but not comfortably. Evening was passed in reading Lord Kaimes. His strictures are generally clear, but I feel unwilling to give up some passages which are favourites with me, though criticized by him.