John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

28. VII: Coll. Lane, the Commissioner of the Public Buildings came this morning with a complaint against Dougherty the Superintendent of the Building in which the Offices of the Departments of State, War and the Navy are kept; for having beaten him with a Cowskin this morning at Davis’s tavern, in the presence of ten or twelve persons. Lane is a cripple, having no use of his right arm, and quite disabled for personal self-defence. By his own account the provocation given by him was very trifling; in words only. But he says Dougherty had been insolent to him before—and has borne him a grudge these eighteen months, because Lane had suspected him of dishonesty, in some business that he had done for the President, and had mentioned to the President, his suspicions. I called at Mr Calhoun’s Office, and consulted with him what was to be done in the case. He thought a written statement of the facts should be made by Coll. Lane, and when we should have that, we should send for Dougherty; hear what he has to say in his defence, and if insufficient, dismiss him from his place, unless Lane himself should declare himself satisfied, and consent that Dougherty should be retained— I received the Convention with Great-Britain signed on the 20th. of October. last by A. Gallatin and R. Rush, with copies of all the Documents of the Negotiation; which I immediately took over to the President— I read to him the Convention, and the Letter from Messrs: Gallatin and Rush of 20. October giving a general account of the Negotiation. The Protocol’s of the Conferences, and other documents which are voluminous, I took home with me, and am to send them to morrow Morning to the President. I returned from his house to my Office; and as it rained, after waiting till past five, I sent my Messenger to my house, to have the Carriage sent for me— It came after six, and it was near seven when I got home to dinner. Mr Hyde de Neuville came after dinner, and requested to have some private conversation with me. He was apparently under great agitation, labouring with something which he meant to communicate to me, and yet afraid of expressing to me all his feelings— There was an incoherent jumble of a multitude of objects national and individual, working at once upon his Passions, and producing a perfect Chaos of Confusion in his Mind. The main object of his coming professedly was to enquire, whether the remarks that I made to him on the 12th of this month, concerning the recognition of the Independence of Buenos Ayres were intended, to consult the opinion of the French Government, or merely to give notice of the intentions of the United States— I told him it was partly both— It was to inform France of our opinions, as to the proper course to be pursued, and to offer to France the opportunity of moving in concert with us, an offer which we had at the same time made to 464Great-Britain— He then talked incoherently and obscurely about his own personal situation, and that of his party, in France the Ultra’s. Said they had been lately “un peu battus,” but would recover their ascendancy— That he had no respect or attachment to the present French Administration, except the Duke de Richelieu who was a galant homme, but who would not continue six Months longer in office— Mr L’Oiné he said the Minister of the Interior had commenced a Correspondence with him, and paid him high Compliments; but he had enemies in the king’s Council, (he named Mr de Caze) who misrepresented his conduct, and endeavoured to ruin him with his party— He was even informed by his private Letters that his despatches had been all shewn to Pozzo di Borgo the Russian Minister at Paris, and to the Spanish Minister, and he asked me if I had any such information? But without waiting for an answer he proceeded to say that he himself had written his own secret instructions, when he came to America—that the king called him the Don Quixot of America. That here he had been in relation with all the proscribed refugees, and had obtained permission for many of them to return to France— That Lefevre Desnouettes had been with him in his Cabinet a very few days since. That he hated and detested the English, and they were hated in France more than ever— But he wished to enquire, if within three or four Months, the Spanish Government should agree to conclude a Treaty with us upon our own terms, whether the Government of the United States would give a pledge not to precipitate measures concerning South-America— Not that France would have any objection, if we should acknowledge Buenos-Ayres, but France did not wish that England should have all the advantage of taking the first steps in that affair— The commercial despotism of England must be opposed; not by War—there was no necessity of making war, but by a steady and concerted pacific opposition. But if we would not join France in it, France would undertake it alone; and now that she was unshackled she was quite competent to it— The King of France was under obligations to the English Prince Regent, who was a brave et loyal Chevalier; but France was under no obligations to the English; and he would much prefer that his king should return and live at Hartwell, rather than that the Bourbons should pass for the creatures and tools of England— I told him that the Government of the U.S. could give no such pledge as that which he desired— The two objects could not thus be connected together. Events were placing the affairs of South America quite out of our controul, and it was probable that even now the Patriots were in possession of the whole Coast of Terra firma, and had driven Morillo out of the Country. But as to South-America, if Spain had taken the pains to adjust her differences with us, there would probably be much less ardour in this Country against Spain, and consequently less in favour of the South-Americans. Spain might have trusted to the operation of those effects. Now, it might be too late— I could answer for nothing. He complained of the English influence existing here; even upon members of Congress; especially the federalists; and said that had been the cause of the failure of the Beaumarchais claim; which he said France would pay; if we did not eventually pay it, here— His discourse was altogether rambling and discontinuous, shewing feelings deeply agitated and I mind scarcely in possession of itself. He said he did not care for his place and had many times offered his resignation— But he is evidently under great apprehension of losing it, and even of being disgraced by his own Government— He was here at least two hours, talking all the time; ardently, passionately, and with much affectation of confidence and mystery; without communicating after all one intelligible or one rational idea— Tom’s a’ Cold.