24 April 1822
adams-john10 Neal Millikan
272

24. V:30. Received a Note this Morning from the President informing me that he had found among his papers, Mr Russell’s Letter of 11. February 1815. which was marked private— The duplicate is not so. I called in the course of the day at the President’s, and asked him to let me see the Letter; he said he had given it to Mr Hay to read, but would send it to me— I have strong suspicions that the duplicate 273is not a true copy of the original. There is particularly one paragraph, which on the 11th. of February 1815 would have been prophetic— Mr Williamson a member of the House of Representatives from Maine, came to ask about the Papers, Books and Maps brought here by Mr Bradley, the Agent under the 5th. Article of the Treaty of Ghent— Williamson wished to examine some of the Books, and to take them for that purpose from the Department; which I declined—but said he might examine them there. He said he believed he would postpone it till the next Session of Congress— Mr Evariste Mauri came again to press for his nomination as Consul at Syracuse— Edward Wyer came and lounged away his hour, as he often does— The only apology I have for tolerating him in this is that I read or write while he is at the Office, the same as if he was not. Mr Poletica the Russian Minister came to the Office, and took leave, and introduced Mr Ellisen, as Charge d’Affaires during his absence. Poletica renewed his thanks for the attentions and kindness with which he said he had been invariably treated here. I furnished him as he had desired with a Passport signed by the President himself. It is altogether unusual, all Passports being from the Secretary of State; but Poletica asked it as a favour, and the President consented to grant it— Mr R. King, the Senator from New-York, came to ask whether there would be any objection to publishing the Spanish Ministers Protest against the Recognitions; and the other papers relative to the subject which had been confidentially sent to the Committee of the Senate— I said, none at all— Mary Roberdeau and Mary Hellen came back this day, and Mr Charles H. Ruggles, Member of the House of Representatives from New-York State spent part of the Evening with us. I began this Evening a draft of a Report to the President upon the Duplicate of Jonathan Russell’s Letter.

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