John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

29. VII: Employed the morning in reading all the documents of the late Negotiation of Gallatin and Rush, with Robinson and Goulburn, of a Convention to continue for ten years that of 3. July 1815. with five additional Articles— I then sent them to the President who transmitted them with the Convention to the Senate. Before I went out, Dougherty and Coll. Lane both came to my house— Dougherty repenting in Sackloth and ashes what he has done; and Lane with the written Statement which had been requested of him yesterday. 465Dougherty pleaded pathetically the indigence of his circumstances and the helplessness of his family, chiefly females, to save his place. I told him his only chance would be to appease Coll. Lane. I began some remarks to the Coll. to soften him; but apparently without success. At the President’s I met Mr Crawford. The President in sending the Convention to the Senate with a Message, proposed to present to their Consideration a question whether the appointment of Plenipotentiaries during their recess and consequently without their sanction, was of such a nature as required any declaration or reservation of their rights by them— I told him I thought there was no question; and that if they thought there was, it was for them to make it, and not for the Executive to suggest it to them— He accordingly said nothing about it; but I think some of the Senators have been whispering to him, and that he expects some question will be made about it in the Senate— I consulted again with Mr Calhoun about the affair of Coll. Lane and Dougherty— He thought with me that a few days should be allowed Dougherty, to make his peace with Lane and that it would be for Lane’s interest to receive satisfaction, and forgive the offence: but if he should absolutely refuse Dougherty must be dismissed— I sent for him and told him so. He brought me a strong recommendation from Mr Eppes of the Senate, and his character stands very fair. He says it is the first time in his life, that he ever suffered his passion to overcome him in this way— I drafted a Letter to G. W. Erving, to go by Mr Onis’s Messenger, Noëli the younger, who is going to Spain with the Ratification of the Convention of 1802. Mrs Adams and Mary Buchanan spent the Evening at Dr Thornton’s. I was much shocked, to find in the Morning Chronicle of 23. October, announced the death of Ellen Nicholas, the day before— The same intelligence is in the Examiner of 25. October— She was only 20—a lovely and accomplished girl.