John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

128 Cincinnati Friday 10— November 1843.

10. III— IV:30. Friday

Breakfasted with Mr John D. Jones, one of the members of the Committee of the Astronomical Society who went to meet me at Cleveland and returned to Columbus where we met— Mr Greene walked with me to his house, which is handsome and furnished with elegance without ostentation— His wife is a handsome, middle aged woman of plain unaffected manners, and they have a graduation of seven fine boys, with a very likely prospect of having seven more—a party of ten or 12 of Mr Jones’s friends partook with us of the breakfast— I returned to the Henrie house whence at 10. O’Clock the procession of the Astronomical Society went to the Westleyan Methodist chapel, the largest church in the City— There, after a fervent prayer by Dr Wilson, judge Burnet delivered an address of about half an hour’s duration; with some enlargement of the copy which he communicated to me at Lebanon— After a very brief action of thanks to him and to the Society for this address, I delivered about one half of the Oration which I had written, and it was well received. The house was full and overflowing— I spoke nearly two hours, without a symptom of impatience or inattention of the Auditory.— Resolutions of thanks to me and to judge Burnet were adopted by the Astronomical Society with requests of copies for publication—and a Resolution that the Observatory hill should henceforth be called Mount Adams.— I then shook hands with the members of the Astronomical Society, and all others in the church who desired it and returned to the Henrie house— A crowd of visitors followed— Governor Moorhead and Mr Southgate, gave me urgent invitations to visit Covington, which I promised to do next Monday morning— Mr Rariden with a large deputation from Wayne County Indiana, personally and in writing gave me an earnest invitation on there. Governor Hendricks gave me a separate call— Deputations from Louisville and Lexington Kentucky came also. A Sub-committee from a Committee of 15 of the coloured people came and enquired when I would receive them and I appointed to morrow at 10. We dined at Mr John G. Pendleton’s with a party of about 20. A splendid entertainment in the highest style— Mr Pendleton lives in princely State He has two daughters married, and several Sons— Mrs Pendleton is a second wife; very handsome, and many years younger than he. At 7 in the evening we returned again to the Henrie house and thence, with Mr Walker, an impromptu acquaintance, to the Theatre in the midst of the performance of the Comedy of London Assurance— After hearing part of two acts without understanding the plot of the play, we retired and went to a Ball at Mr Springer’s an opulent Citizen of Cincinnati— The Ball was splendid—the banquet sumptuous and temperate and the company genteel and lovely— Thus closes, blessed be God one memorable day of my life