John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

4. IX. Independence day— My Son John is this day thirteen years old— I finished a Letter to T. Sumter junr. Minister from the United States at Rio de Janeiro— Received Letters—from W. A. Kenrick the second Mate of the Baltimore— From Henry Sparks of Philadelphia, enclosing one to his nephew Matthias Masoner, an American Seaman, impressed in to the British naval Service, and there detained many years—there were also enclosed a Certificate of Masoner’s baptism at Philadelphia; and a duplicate of his Protection issued in 1803. Mr Sparkes requests me to take measures for finding him out, if living, or ascertaining his death if deceased— From George Thompson at Nottingham, saying that he has made a great improvement upon the Congreve Rocket; that he has been informed the American Government were desirous of knowing the method of making them, and that he will be happy to give every necessary information on the subject.— There was thunder at intervals, and showers of rain almost incessant through the whole day— Cook, the man who has the child ill at Brentford with the small-pox came, to tell me that the boy was better.— He said they had sent off a lot of Soldiers to-day, in all the wet, to Barnett, to stop the Colliers that were coming up to London, with three loads of coals as a present to the Prince Regent; and a petition for relief— The rumour of the approach of these Colliers has been current in London these three days— They have been thrown out of employment, by the diminution of business in the Iron-works— Cook says, there had been some rioting among them before he came out of Staffordshire— I attempted a walk; but was twice overtaken with showers in going to Ealing Church and returning— I was obliged to write in the Evening—