Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 3
1830-05-25
Morning cloudy and cold. The Weather for some time past has been of the most disagreeable kind we have. The Easterly Wind quite sharp and piercing. After sending to be sold some of the books belonging to my brother, which are duplicates of those I myself possess, I went to the Office, where my time was passed in translating as usual. J. B. Davis called upon me about a Communication I had sent to the Patriot. His proposition was that he should put it under the editorial head of his paper, to which I very willingly consented although he proposes so much to adopt1 it, as not to allow me the authorship. This may be flattering but I can scarcely fancy it fair. However this is a mere premier pas.
245I got something beyond my former mark in translating Aeschines before. Afternoon, began the final perusal of the same Orations in Reiske’s edition to read the Notes.2 But I begin to feel exceedingly wearied by an occupation of which even as yet I see little or no termination, and am moreover doubtful of my success. Yet as nothing new offers itself, and I am ashamed to turn back, it is as well to go on. Perhaps if I can find a light subject in the mean time, I will try it. Evening, read to my Wife a part of the Arabian Night
Thus in MS.
The orations of Aeschines with commentary are in vols. 3 and 4 of Oratorum Graecorum, edited by John Jacob Reiske, 8 vols., Leipzig, 1770–1773. The copy in MQA has JQA’s bookplate.
1830-05-26
This being the day regularly assigned for the organization of the new Government of the State for the year, commonly called Election Day,1 and no season for business, I remained at home and occupied myself very busily for three hours in my work upon Demosthenes, which progressed very considerably. I should have done more, had it not been for Edmund Quincy who called to pay a visit. Mrs. Frothingham and her children with those of Mrs. Everett from Medford came to complete the set. Our windows are very well adapted to the notice of all that is to be seen, and small children like these always admire such prospects very much.2 It was wearisome to me. I went out with Quincy and finding my morning nearly gone, concluded to go to the Athenaeum, where I passed my time between the gallery and the reading room. The Everett girls dined with us.3 Afternoon passed in reading Greek and Latin Notes in Reiske’s Edition, but it is now stupid. My nerves had got disordered so that I made unusually slow progress. Evening, read Arabian Nights to my Wife and after it, some of Plutarch’s Lives, and Saverien’s Philosophes Anciens.4 My editorial Article appeared today in the Patriot, corrected.5 I thought it good.
Established usage dictated that on Election Day the legislature assembled, completed its organization, and elected its officers; then, with military escort, its members accompanied the Executive to the Old South Meeting House for the election sermon. In 1830 the sermon was preached by William Ellery Channing.
Beyond the events of the day, the whole week was largely given over to public functions, it being the traditional time for the religious and benevolent societies of the Commonwealth to hold their “anniversaries,” i.e. annual meetings, in Boston. The investiture of the governor and lieutenant governor were the concluding ceremonies at the week’s end. For this year’s events, see Boston Patriot, 22 May, p. 2, col. 1; 26 May, p. 2, col. 4; 29 May, p. 2, col. 1.
Not including infants in both families, there were four Frothingham boys 246and two Everett girls. All were between the ages of five and ten (First Church Records, Col. Soc. Mass., Pubns.
, 40 [1961]:449–452).
ABA’s plans for the day for Ann and Charlotte Everett included taking them “to see the Rhinoceros and other Lions of the day” (Charlotte Everett to Edward Everett, 26 May, Everett MSS, MHi).
Alexandre Savérien, Histoire des philosophes anciens jusqu’à la renaissance des lettres, 5 vols., Paris, 1771–1772.
CFA’s communication which had been changed somewhat and adapted by John Brazer Davis as an editorial, and as such was unsigned, bore the title “The Next Presidency” (Boston Patriot, 26 May, p. 2, cols. 2–3). It called upon patriotic citizens, “unseduced by the glitter of corruption, and unawed by the intimidation of power,” to begin the fight against the reelection of Andrew Jackson. Praise is given to the minority in the Senate for resisting encroachments upon liberty, and the members of the Congress are urged to lose no time in choosing a leader to make the fight. “The fundamental principle of the opposition, should be resistance against the progress of corruption.... Let it not be said, by any true man, that he has not done every thing in his power ... to purify and restore the Republic.”
Although it does speak of the President’s “imbecility,” the editorial is directed not so much against Jackson as against Vice-President Calhoun and Secretary of State Van Buren: “more dangerous public men ... never existed here.”