My child is this day three years old. May God bless her and preserve her. I returned to town after breakfast.

The Community seemed to be in great agitation and alarm, nothing else being talked about but the outrage. Yet no clue seems to have been afforded to solve the mystery. The prejudices against the Institution appear to be very general in the County and the act to have resulted from the coarse prejudices of the ignorant and little principled. These repeated outrages in our Country are alarming indications of our condition. The idea that justice must be done by direct violence is becoming familiar to all and the lower part of the population are the persons who think themselves perfectly fitted to administer it. Soon there will be no toleration of any expression of opinion contrary to the popular one. This is the freedom of America. Heavens! what a thought—That man can not be trusted with power. I am afraid it is so.

Much engaged in Commissions. To Medford to dine. Afternoon. Company, Commodore Hull, Mr. Goldsborough of the Navy board and a Mr. Cumming from Georgia.1 The two former I knew in Washington. Quiet evening, read the third volume of Puckler Muskau. Amusing enough.

I went to Boston this morning in my own way, and passed by the blackened walls which are all that remain of the Convent. The feeling that came over me was one of the most affecting I ever experienced. The illiberality of our people has always been known to me but I had always supposed their love of order such that it would prevent any public exhibition of it. It seems I was mistaken and that there stands now a monument far more striking than that of Bunker hill to call up emotions of horror and disgust.

My father came into town with the Carriage which is to return with 361my Wife and family to Quincy. Mr. Odiorne and Mr. Henry D. Ward called to see him but he had gone. At one, I went to Quincy. Found my mother in good health. Afternoon quietly at home. Read much of Mr. Jefferson’s Letters which grew more malignant as he grew older. The passions of the man did not soften nor did he arrive at any of those good feelings in human nature which attach us to character. Read Ovid and a little of German. Evening. Conversation. There was a very severe thunder shower which lasted some hours during the night and made us quite uncomfortable.