Clear. I went to the Office and was engaged in my usual occupation of Accounts and making up the Arrears of my Diary which the extraordinary interruptions of the last few days has occasioned. The very short time I spend at the Office hardly is sufficient for my purposes and yet if it was more I know I should waste it. Walk with Mr. Walsh. The season is about as fine a one as I ever knew. There has been hardly a cloud in the sky for ten days and the air though clear is cold enough to be bracing.

Received today from T. B. Adams the remittance made by him to New Orleans so long ago. It is now too late to be of much service to me. Mr. Harrod who sends it excuses himself on the plea that he could not transmit it safely before without great loss. As it is he sends a draft on the Merchants’ Bank payable on the 11th of February.1

Home. Livy. Afternoon, continued working upon Plutarch with 168whom however I go on very slowly. Burnet and German. Evening finished an article upon Mr. Webster’s Speech. G. Gorham was in for an hour.

Fine day. Office. Nothing new. Called at the Advocate Office to give my first number upon the currency. Found there Mr. Paine and Gibson who is a sort of a party machine. They kept me there in conversation for some time, very friendly. Gibson is one of Mr. Hallets subagents who does the drudgery. He discussed today most especially the position of the Antimasons and the hostility manifested in the Custom house quarter against them.1 This shows itself in all forms—first, by squibs in the Morning Post, second by underhand denunciation, thirdly by sideway movement to edge out all the men from the party confidence. Gibson says there are now two points of importance to be gained. The first the organization of the State Committee, the second the filling the Collectorship. The Custom house party is making every effort to get the control of both these objects, and the question is how can they be effectively counteracted. I told him I thought this should be attempted in the Legislature where the party is not well affected to the Custom house but where it wants leaders. My general principle has been to avoid the personal intrigues of parties and I hope to do so still.

Returned to the Office late. After an hour passed in Diary and then a walk I went home and read Livy. Afternoon, Burnet and Plutarch. Evening, read a little of Willis’s travels.2 and then finished another paper upon Mr. Webster.

Another beautiful day. I went to Market and from thence to the Office. Nothing of any importance that is new. Politics go no much as usual. My article did not appear as I expected. It must have given way to an article I see from William Foster’s pen. Because when I was at the Office yesterday I saw Mr. Paine give it out. I made up my Diary 169and worked at Accounts. Well, no matter. I must have patience, and do things slowly.

A. H. Everett came in and I detailed to him the substance of my conversation with Gibson yesterday. My design being to rouse him to the necessity of a little exertion. He seemed to think the influence of the Custom house party already broken down as evinced by the result of the application for the Collectorship last winter. I have not so much confidence in that as a test, inasmuch as much has been done to change matters since that time. I was obliged however to break off the conversation in order to meet Mr. Carey at his marble yard at half past twelve, to pick out chimney pieces. I selected what I should want. Called as I went along upon Mrs. Fuller who settled most of her rent.

On my return to my Office I found T. K. Davis. Talked with him upon an application made to him by William Jordan about a Newspaper. The proposal is to start one on an independent basis, and the men concerned are to be Brownson, Alcott, Emerson and sub rosâ Dr. Channing. I stated the difficulty in my mind to this direction. They are all considered in Boston as visionaries, and they would conduct a press with no reference excepting the promulgation of theories. Davis said the same objection had occurred to him. As he lingered, I asked him to dinner. Miss Smith was there too. Nothing material. Afternoon very short. Evening, Miss Smith passed it with us, and I accompanied her home. A most beautiful night. But the clouds begin to gather. I wrote No. 2 on the currency, a more amplified copy.