6 May 1817
adams-john10 Neal Millikan
184

6. VI:45. I wrote Despatch 78. addressed to John Graham chief Clerk in the Department of State, and a Letter to the President of the United States. L. Harris came and took leave, and went by the Mail Stage for Liverpool at six O’Clock this Evening. He promised to make enquiries for me what vessels will be sailing from Liverpool for New-York or Boston, in which I can take passage with my family, and to write me as soon as possible the result. He also told me that he had received flattering assurances from the President that his late conduct in the transactions with Russia had been approved, and he was desirous of continuing in the Public Service. He hoped he should have the favour of my influence to obtain an appointment. I avoided making him any promise; not being informed what the practice of the Government is, with regard to the appointments of the foreign Department. G. Joy likewise called and I walked with him to St Paul’s Church-Yard. He mentioned that a Letter had been received from Holland, announcing the Death of S. Bourne, our Consul at Amsterdam. I was surprized at this, having received a Letter from Bourne himself, dated the 22d of last Month, in which he says his health is much restored, and speaks of his intention of going next Summer to the United States— Joy who has been many years a titular Consul at Rotterdam, expects now to be summoned by Mr Eustis, to go and execute the Consular functions, at Amsterdam— Joy has long had a project in his head of rising in the diplomatic career, and of stepping first from the Office of Consul to that of Charge d’Affairs. He now intimated to me an expectation that Eustis would be appointed as Minister to London, and that he would then be ready to act as Chargé d’Affairs at the Court of the Netherlands; and for this purpose of being prepared to support the dignity of the Office and of devoting his fortune as well as his time to the public service of the United States, he is endeavouring to convert his property which brings him about £600 a year, into a life annuity of £1400— I was obliged to leave him at St Paul’s Church-yard, to go and dine with Mr Jeremy Bentham, in Queen Square Place, Westminster. I met him in St James’s Park at the back of which his house stands, and walked with him an hour till dinner time. The company were Mr and Mrs Koe, who live with him, Mr George Ensor a Scotchman and Mr William Will, an Irishman, both Authors, and a boy of twelve or thirteen whom Mr Bentham is educating. Bentham had engaged to come for me at five O’Clock to my lodgings at five O’Clock, which he did; just before dinner he took me into his Library, and there asked me if I would dine with him there and have a tête a tête conversation after dinner with him next Sunday, to which I readily agreed. He had told me that he had something to say to me about my own family, and now explained his meaning by shewing me a Letter from Robert Bentham of Charleston South-Carolina, to Samuel Bentham Civil Architect, Navy Office, London, Jeremy’s Brother containing a number of family enquiries. In this Letter, Robert Bentham asserts that his father who had emigrated from England to South-Carolina, in 1760. had there married a young Lady by the name of Mary Hardy a cousin of His Excellency John Adams former President of the United States. I think this must be a mistake; never having heard that my father had any relations by the name of Hardy— Mr Bentham allows me to take a copy of the Letter. There was much Conversation at dinner, and many things were said of which I should have been desirous of taking note, but such is now the pressure of my occupations, that the time necessary for a daily record of them absolutely fails— I abandon the attempt in despair— I came home about eleven.

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