John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

2. VII. Mr de la Serna, the Spanish, and Baron de Stackelberg the Swedish Charge d’Affaires were at the Office; and also Mr Smith, a new member of Congress from New Jersey, and General Bloomfield— La Serna told me that he had no late despatches from his Government; but Letters of 12 October from Onis, who expected to be appointed Minister to the Netherlands; but who, he said, complained of his brother in Law, Salmon, the late Minister ad interim of foreign Affairs. He expressed a wish to be presented to the President— Stackelberg wished to have the exequatur revoked of a Swedish Consul at Baltimore— I was twice at the President’s, and the last time found him at home— He appointed a Meeting of the Members of the Administration to-morrow at Noon; and said he had made some alteration in his draft of the Message, concerning the South-Americans, in consequence of my suggestion— He said Mr Wirt had undertaken to state the particulars, in which the organization of the Laws against piracy was defective— I said that with the recommendation to revise them the expression of a strong sentiment, disapproving the practice, would be perhaps equally useful. By our Constitution, the Chief Magistrate is the first guardian of the public morals; and the influence of his approbation or censure, solemnly communicated to the legislature is perhaps as important and efficacious as any exercise of his positive authority. He said that he would introduce such a sentiment into the message, as he had already done with regard to the Slave trade— He seemed to doubt whether it would be proper for him to say anything of the part taken by the principal European Powers in relation to the ratification of the Florida Treaty by Spain— I said I thought it quite expedient with respect to Great Britain; because there is a general impression that the British Government have interfered to prevent it; which they have not only utterly disavowed; but they have actually interposed by advising Spain to the Ratification— He said if Great-Britain was mentioned, it would also be necessary to take notice of the good offices of France; which I thought would be very proper— He asked how far any thing might be 220said of Russia— We have nothing positive direct from the Government— Mr Poletica here, has professed perfectly friendly dispositions; and the Russian Ambassador at Paris had done the same— But from the latest despatch received from Mr Gallatin, it would appear that Tatischeff’s conduct had not been equally friendly at Madrid— The President desired me to see Poletica to-morrow Morning, and ascertain from him whether a paragraph announcing the good disposition of Russia, in connection with that of France and England upon this subject would be acceptable to the Emperor, and to draw up such a paragraph, as I should think it would be proper to insert in the message— He read me one which he has prepared as a tribute to the memory of Commodore Perry— He said he would recommend that some provision should be made for his family; but as it would be a new thing in principle, it might excite jealousy and tend to defeat the object itself— I concurred in this opinion— Coll. Aspinwall our Consul at London who has just arrived, on a visit home, called at my house this Evening— Cold and a Gale.