Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 7
1836-11-06
Morning pleasant. I passed it in reading Grahame, whose first edition I think on the whole has been improved upon. I perceive a complimentary Note to General Jackson’s Protest which amuses me.1 Attended divine service and heard Mr. Frothingham from 1 Timothy 2. 5. “There is one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ.” This was mainly designed to consider the nature of the Saviour in connexion with the Lord’s supper and to prove that it is the mediation which constitutes the essence of the rite. In the afternoon, Mr. Pierpont preached.2 Psalms 107. 23.24. “They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters. These see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep.” A sermon evidently written during his late voyage and filled with nothing but commonplace ideas.
Mr. Walsh went home with me and passed the afternoon and part of the evening and drank tea. Conversation general, but he has a way of introducing allusions to himself in a very delicate manner which make me feel for him much. After he had gone, Mr. Degrand came in just from Quincy. He had seen the family there and brought me a note stating in substance that they would not start until Tuesday. Conversation upon politics. The first returns from Philadelphia are favourable to Mr. Van Buren. I read a sermon of Dr. Barrow Acts 9. 22. “proving that this is the very Christ,” being a laboured examination of the evidence of Christ’s mission.
To his account of the impeachment and trial of Governor Winthrop in 1646, Grahame, in the new edition of his History, appended a note: “Equal in dignity to Winthrop’s vindication, and superior to it in elegance, is the protest by which that illustrious American President, Jackson, in April, 1834, defended himself against the charges wherewith he was arraigned by the Senate of the United States. But this admirable composition must adorn the pages of some later historian of America” (1:271). The “protest” is the message, so titled, addressed to the Senate on 15 April 1834 in response to its resolution of 28 March charging the President with acting in derogation of the Constitution. The text is in Richardson, ed., Messages and Papers
, 3:69–93.
John Pierpont; see vol. 3:129.
1836-11-07
A most lovely day which made me regret that the family had not improved it. I thought I would go out and see them for the last time there this season and enjoyed my ride very well.
I had some Commissions to execute, in regard to seeing about my lumber respecting which the men are exceedingly dilatory. I called at the Landing and they made apologies enough without however satisfying me. They now promise for the end of this week but I doubt. Dined 127with the family who are busy in preparation for departure. Transacted business with my father who has enabled me to go in my financial affairs without uneasiness by means of the Checks. I have thus been released from the consequences of buying the Boylston Market shares when I had not funds to pay for them.1 I will not be caught in such a scrape again.
After dinner home. Found my Wife better decidedly. Evening quietly reading Grahame. Mr. and Mrs. Frothingham spent an hour and I had some conversation with him upon religious schisms of late occurrence. He gave me information respecting them.
CFA, both for his own and JQA’s accounts, had for a number of years added to their holdings in the Boylston Market. See the indexes in vols. 4 and 6.