John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

32724. V:30. Last Evening I received a long Letter from the French Minister, about the complaint concerning Lieutenant Stockton— He accepts for disavowal and satisfaction the last Letter I wrote him; agrees to leave other subjects for future discussion, and to sign the Convention this day. This Morning he sent a translation of his Letter, which Mr Brent brought to my house— Mr R. W. Meade came to the Office with Coll. Cortes and Coll. Bradburn, whom he introduced to me and then withdrew. Coll. Cortes is a Mexican Officer, heretofore a naval Officer in the service of Spain— Bradburn is a native of Virginia, one of the few survivors of Mina’s expedition. Also now a Coll. in the Mexican service. They came here last Spring, about the same time with Wilcocks, but I did not see them— Bradburn has since then been back to Mexico; and is now returned. Cortes has been at Philadelphia. Meade told me that they had come to hire transport to convey from Mexico the Spanish troops, about 8000, who were to be sent away— Cortes speaks no English, but intelligible French— He shewed me passages from two Letters, of Agustin Yturbide, whom he called mon Général, but who has now been proclaimed by the Congress, Emperor of Mexico— These Letters were written a few days before he was made Emperor— One of them, assured him that Mr Elizalde, would come out here as Minister soon; but if not, that Cortes himself must act for him— Cortes said he expected Elizalde here, in five or six days; and if he did not come, should present himself. He spoke very unfavourably of Wilcocks, who he said had written to Mexico, that he was going there as Consul from the United States. But there was no need of a Consul in Mexico— That Mr Wilcocks was very obnoxious there. That his connections had been with Spaniards— That his Letter; (which was published) had given great offence, and the people there were beaucoup enragé against him; though mon general, out of the kindness of his disposition, was willing to overlook what he had said of him— One of Yturbide’s Letters observed that it enclosed an answer to Mr Clay; and desired Cortes to use his influence, that the person sent out as Minister there might be friendly to them. Cortes and Bradburn went from the Office with Meade to the President’s— Mr C. J. Ingersoll of Philadelphia, was at the Office, with his son—and returned me de Stack on Consuls; a book he had borrowed of me last Summer— At One O’Clock, the Baron Hyde de Neuville, the French Minister came, with de Menou, and we executed four Copies of the Commercial Convention in both languages— Two copies had been made by Mr Ironside, at the Office, and two at the French Legation— Some small corrections were necessary to make them all uniform— The alternative was preserved throughout—both copies were signed and sealed by both parties, and both as originals— In the examination of the copies, the Baron held one of ours, and I one of theirs; Mr Brent the other of theirs and Menou the other of ours. Menou read the French copy, and Mr Brent ours. We found the usual inconveniences of sealing the inside of the papers with wax and in more than usual degree, as there were two Separate Articles, each separately executed. I used my Constellation Seal. The Baron observed to Menou that this day was my festival day—St. John’s day—the Baptist. He said his own name was John too; but from the Evangelist: as we sealed on both sides of the paper, it happened in one of the copies, that by the turning of a leaf his seal and mine adhered together so that they could not be parted— I told him it was de bon augure, which he took as a compliment. We interchanged the copies he taking one of his own and one of ours, and we the same— Mr de Bresson afterwards came, and offered to take any despatches for France— He goes as a Messenger with the Convention, and said he expected to return here with the ratification before the commencement of the Session of Congress in December— I made a draft of a Proclamation of the President, suspending the operation of the Act of Congress 328of 15. May, and other discriminating duties, upon French vessels and merchandize imported in them, from the 1st. of October until the end of the next Session of Congress— But a question occurred as to the extent of the President’s authority, upon which I might consult him— I spent the Evening at Dr Thornton’s where there was a small party—among the rest a Captain Thompson; of the Mexican service. He came with Bradburn— The Dr. was over-inquisitive about the envoy as he called him; and to know in what capacity he came— I told him at last, in none at-all— He was a Captain in the Navy. Mrs Graham—Mr and Mrs Hamilton of New York, and General Scott were of the party. I left my account again this morning with the Comptroller Anderson, together with the President’s opinion, which he said he supposed would do. He said again he had always been of opinion that the Law was on my side, but he still expressed some misgiving that there would yet be question made about it in Congress.