Mild with heavy and settled rain all day. I went to the Office and occupied myself with accounts. Mr. Walsh came in. The news from Washington is that the question of Slavery is driving every thing else out of view. My father has opened upon it rather to my regret although not to my surprise.1 The excitement seems to be so intense as to threaten the worst consequences. This comes in the midst of Accounts portending a rupture with France. Our statesmen and politicians of the present day are small in calibre. The passage of six years has already involved the Country prodigiously. And six more, according to present appearances will hardly pass without making the people sensible how much they have paid for their whistle.

Mr. Hallett called in and sat a couple of hours. His object to disclose to me the result of an interview by request with Mr. Everett. It seems that the Pennsylvania nomination proves the death blow to the hopes of Mr. Webster, that under the indignation consequent upon it, as well as the sense of his own danger in perseverance, he and his friends wish now to come in under the shelter of Mr. Van Buren’s influence, and that Mr. E. is anxious to make an effort to consolidate a party which made up of Whigs and Antimasons shall enable him to resist the decided attack that will next year be made upon him. In 293addition to these preliminaries in this quarter, comes a letter from one of the National Antimasonic Committee, Mr. Ward, very strongly intimating that the seceders from the Harrisburgh Convention friendly to Mr. Webster are disposed to take up Mr. Van Buren and for that end have nominated thirty two delegates to the National Convention, which at the same time the National Committee have announced as to take place in May at Philadelphia. Above all the injunction laid upon Mr. Hallett is to say nothing or do nothing against Mr. Webster, as that might affect the plan. This whole apparatus gives an entirely new aspect to political affairs and is calculated to throw me back as far as ever from any influence upon them. I have been all along dreading this event which will if followed out have the result of reestablishing the tyrannical and treacherous domination which the election of this year had completely shaken. Mr. Webster through his friends has certainly committed himself most desperately against the course he now inclines to pursue; that he changes so readily only shows the extreme flexibility of his character, and principles. After consulting the matter over, we came to the conclusion in the first place to refuse to acknowledge the self elected delegation from Pennsylvania as the true representatives in Convention of that State. Indeed the idea that ten seceders from a Convention of 140 and more, from all the Counties in the State, six of them from a single burrough of Pittsburgh, assuming the ground that the body exceeded their powers in nominating a candidate for the Presidency, when the six had been instructed to support Mr. Webster, can represent the Antimasons to the exclusion of the Governor and all the men of Official influence of the State together with a formal vote of this full Convention declining to be represented, is the height of absurdity. Considering then the formal vote alluded to as an expression of the real opinion of the Majority, it put Pennsylvania out of the proposed Convention. Rhode Island has also declined being represented there. And Massachusetts has refused to acknowledge delegates from New York and Ohio where the party organization has not been kept up. Thus a Convention becomes merely a meeting of Massachusetts and Vermont delegates to confer upon general matters having no bearing upon the Presidency. Thus I hope the idea of a Webster-Van Buren-Antimasonic Convention will fail. The next point is to ascertain how Mr. Van Buren stands disposed to receive Mr. Webster. If he does, the Antimasons will inevitably be crushed and I must bid good bye to a troubled sea the floating upon which at all makes me very often qualmish. If he does not, why then Mr. Webster and his friends must stand aloof in our 294places. I am very indifferent about the result. And in the mean time, take some gratification in looking back upon a few past months and observing how even handed justice has commended the poison prepared for others back to their own lips. A miserable scheme has most miserably ended.

The conference ended and I went home but I must see Alex. H. Everett about it’s subject matter. He is, I fear, not in a situation beyond the whistle of the Webster party. They can promise him what he wants, bread to eat. I went home and forgot politics in Livy’s Preface and commencement of the History.2 The Afternoon was consumed in finishing my work of pasting my last Essays and a few labels. Evening finished the first Volume of the works of Madame Junot. A pleasant variety to me who have against my usual habit been out so much this week.

Mild for the Season but windy. I read a few of Voltaire’s amusing letters and then attended divine service. Heard Mr. Frothingham all day. Texts. Matthew 2.4. “And when Herod had gathered all the Chief Priests and Scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.” An appropriate recollection of the day and the reasons for holding it precious, not merely by an empty ceremonial without profit but as a sign of faith, of hope and of love, which go to make the Christian disciple. Afternoon Ezekiel 37.3. “And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered O, Lord God, thou knowest.” I recollect well the text of the Discourse because it is drawn from that striking Account of the Valley of dry bones and the prophesy, but the hearing of the discourse over a second time hardly impressed it the more upon me. I wished very much to fix my attention too but it eluded my grasp.

Home. Read Barrow’s concluding Sermon upon Industry in our particular calling as Scholars. Very good. Drawn from the necessity for it to constitute scholars and the benefits which the calling when 295exercised can dispense. Dr. Barrow was at home here and he writes con amore. He was a scholar and an industrious one and expatiates upon the value of the various branches of knowledge with a force and feeling which is pleasant to see.

Evening quietly at home. Gardner Gorham came in and spent a little while. He is a pleasant, rather empty headed young fellow. Afterwards, Diary, which I nearly brought up again.