John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

24. VI:30. Young Bloomfield was here with two despatches written by G. W. Irving in 1809. relating to a claim of R. S. Hackley which Bloomfield has purchased. It is before Congress, and I have made a report upon it to a committee. But Bloomfield wants me to settle and allow it without the intervention of Congress, and has made numerous applications to Congress me, for that purpose— He brought me these Letters this morning to see if they would not change my opinion— But they could give me no authority to act, and left the case just where it was before. Coll. R. M. Johnson called upon me to enquire what the President had determined upon W. Duane’s Letters— This man has been many years Editor of the Aurora, a daily newspaper printed at Philadelphia; in which language has been exhausted in abuse and invective upon every administration of the Government of the United States, excepting that of Mr Jefferson. During the last two years scarcely a day has past without columns upon columns assailing the character of Mr Monroe, and all his Secretaries— And now this personage comes with one proposition to be sent with a Salary, outfit and travelling expences as a Charge des Affaires to New-Grenada and Mexico, and with another that the President should trick Congress to a sale of ten thousand or thirty thousand stand of arms to the Patriots of New-Grenada; and give him Duane the job to make the contract, with a Commission of five or six per Cent on the sale—promising so to transact the business that neither the Government nor he shall appear in the business at-all— These projects are mingled up with complaints of ill usage from Mr Monroe—with threats of vengeance if he is not gratified; and with promises that no body shall ever have reason to repent it if he is— Coll. Johnson is the medium through whom he conducts this negotiation. I told him that the President had the Letters— That I did not think he would clandestinely sell arms to the South Americans by an Act of Congress to be obtained by a stratagem, and without letting them know what they were doing. That it was too soon to send a Charge d’Affaires to Mexico, or even to New-Grenada, and if it were not, the President might have scruples about appointing Mr Duane; since the public would be very apt to consider it, as a bargain to buy off his newspaper hostility— Coll. Johnson said that he had expected this would be the answer; and had already written to Duane that he thought the plan for the sale of arms would not succeed— He himself thought it was not consistent with a fair neutrality— I walked with Johnson to the Senate chamber, and heard Mr Pinkney close his Missouri Speech— There was a great crowd of auditors— Many Ladies; among whom several seated on the floor of the Senate— His eloquence was said to be less overpowering than it had been last 252Friday. His language is good— His fluency without interruption or hesitation— His manner impressive but his argument weak, from the inherent weakness of his cause— After he closed Mr Otis declared his determination to speak to-morrow on the subject. The Senators went into Executive conclave and all Strangers withdrew. I went into the Hall of the House of Representatives and heard debates there upon a specific appropriation Bill, and upon a motion to postpone a Bill authorizing the People of the Missouri Territory to form a State Constitution. There was some sharp debating, and the question was decided by yeas and nays, against postponement 88 to 87. It was past three O’Clock when I got to my Office, and I was of course but a short time there— Evening at home.