Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 3
1830-07-31
The day was not perfectly pleasant though clear—An East Wind coming with a peculiar chill over me, as I did not feel perfectly well. To sick people that wind is very dreadful, to those in firm health it matters exceeding little. Abby went with me this morning for the purpose of taking a bath.
I found that my Article was in the Patriot,1 after which I read Walpole and wrote my Journal. Business is now multiplying upon me, and that not of an agreeable kind. My investment proceeds but slowly and I fear will not be effected at all. I went down to see a Mr. Watson on India Wharf who asked me five per cent advance upon some Fire and Marine Insurance Shares. A price I was totally unwilling to give. Saw Brown and Degrand, but they neither of them had any thing.
Returned to Medford early. In the afternoon Edward Brooks and his wife paid a visit and drank tea. Mr. Brooks was out to see his brother in law, Mr. Hall who has been sick. Evening quiet.
In CFA’s third letter on railroads, signed “A Calm Observer,” he quotes at some length from a recent article in an English periodical on the complexity of running a railroad and the great expense attached to it; he deplores both the fail-292ure of many citizens who are opposed to a railway subsidy to attend the town meeting and the behavior of the proponents who did attend; and while acknowledging a probable present majority against his position, he prophesies a day when they will be in sackcloth and ashes (Boston Patriot, 31 July, p. 2, col. 4).