Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 7
1837-02-10
Mild day. I went to the Office as usual. Occupied in the manner usual with me in writing Diary and making up my Accounts with now and then a talk with Mr. Walsh. The news from Washington now is that as usual my father has fallen into a great trouble. It seems that he roused the passions of the Southern members to the boiling point by stating that he had a petition from certain persons calling themselves slaves, which he requested of the Speaker to tell him whether it was or was not embraced in the order of the House on that subject. Before they knew what it was about, before they ascertained whether my father meant to present it, the Speaker having hesitated and being desirous of taking the decision of the House, a dozen members proposed various votes from light censure to heavy expulsion. This produced a violent storm which terminated in nothing for the day.1
Walk with Mr. Walsh, and home to read Livy. Ancient history gives us most interesting views of man in other ages and in other habits, yet still the same. Rome arriving at it’s height of power and developing the seeds of it’s decline. How is it with us?
Afternoon, I was occupied in taking out my papers on the Currency and arranging them with a view to collected publication.2 This is a labour for which I shall scarcely be paid, but n’importe. It is respectable occupation. Evening at home. Lamartine, whose poetical imagination amuses me. Afterwards, writing upon the Currency.
The tumultuous events in the House of Representatives on 6 and 7 Feb. are detailed in the Daily National Intelligencer, 9, 10, and 11 Feb., p. 2, cols. 1–6; p. 2, cols. 2–6; p. 3, cols. 1–2, respectively. A full account of the parliamentary storm that did not abate until 11 Feb. is contained in Bemis, JQA
, 2:343–348.
On the papers’ publication, see below, entry for 25 February.
1837-02-11
Morning mild and pleasant. I went to the Office after transacting business at the Bank. Received today the payment of the long expected remittance from T. B. Adams. This engaged me in Accounts which were not fully made up before Mr. W. Spear came in from Quincy and entered into various discussions respecting affairs. I find a great multiplicity of interests springing up in that direction. He had not finished before Mr. Josiah Adams Jr. came in and kept me a good while about his accounts. I made a final payment to him previous to settlement.
An engagement made by me to see Mr. French at the Boylston Market was broken, and I reached there only in time to make an apol-183ogy. Walk. Home. Livy. Afternoon, revising and correcting my papers and reading Burnet.
The accounts from Washington are of a more pacific nature today. The Southern gentlemen felt the awkward nature of their position without having the magnanimity to own it or retract. My father is likely to have a great triumph. In the evening, read Lamartine. After which I finished the Essay on the Currency.