John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

25. VI:30. A Mr M’Closkey came this Morning for a certificate from the Department of State to authenticate a paper— Then a Mr M’Gowan with a recommendation from several members of Congress, to solicit a Clerkship in forma pauperis— He referred for his qualifications to the digest of the manufacturing returns upon which he has been employed— Having had those of the State of Ohio assigned to him upon which he said he had worked Night and day. At the Office Mr Bates the Delegate from the territory of Arkansas brought a Printer’s bill for printing the Laws of the last Session, and enquired concerning the re-appointment of R. Crittenden the Secretary, and Scott one of the judges of the territory— It appeared that the Governor, Miller’s Commission, which expired the 3d. of March last, had not been renewed—much to my surprize— Charles Minifie, came again to ask for employment; as there is no vacancy in the Department he took back his memorial to the President; setting forth his wants and his claims. Mr George Hay came to take leave; going upon a visit to Richmond— The Legislature of the State are to meet there next week; and his journey there just at this time has perhaps some other motive than that which he assigned to me, of settling a long standing account with his overseer. He gave me his opinion of Mr Sheffey, heretofore a federal member of Congress of some distinction, and who he told me would be this year in the Virginia Legislature. Mr Canning came with a note upon the old subject of discrimination between rolled and hammered iron, in our Tariff, the Consideration of which was postponed from the last Session of Congress— But we had a long and desultory Conversation upon various topics, chiefly however upon the Colonial Intercourse— We went over again all the topics which have been discussed between us before, both in Conversation and in Correspondence, on this subject: he intimated to me that many of our own Merchants, thought we had not met the regulations of the Act of Parliament, opening the Colonial Ports, with equal reciprocity— I said I had no doubt he had been and would be told so.— But he must be aware that most or all of the Merchants in this Country with whom he was acquainted or in correspondence are either British Subjects or so connected, as to be in British Interests— Our merchants told a very different story— There would be doubtless a bias of partiality on both sides, but our Merchants would of course expect that we should attend to their Interests— He said he thought Congress would see the thing in a more favourable light than this; I replied that if such a disposition should be manifested in Congress, it would in no wise be counteracted by the Executive, whose only object is to secure the interests of our own People, consistently with the most entire and liberal reciprocity— He said all the British Merchants, here, were confident that with 424the existing tonnage and discriminating duties, in six weeks more there could not be a single British vessel in the trade— I read to him a paragraph from a Letter of Jehu Hollingsworth, dated the 20th. of October at St. Eustatius, and declaring that all of the American vessels that have entered at St. Kitts, and Nevis since the opening of the Ports, not one had been satisfied— He touched again upon the discrimination made by us between the North-American, and the West-Indian British Colonies, which I defended and he contested on the same arguments as heretofore— I told him it was probable however that Congress might remove that discrimination and substitute other regulations in its stead. Perhaps a limitation to direct voyages, both to and from the Colonies— Perhaps a limited list of imports, excepting the most important of their export articles; such as Rum, for which they could find no other market, as they excluded our salted fish, and provisions— He said he was sure that was what I was coming to—and again intimated the threat of closing the Ports again, which I again told him they were quite free to do: and would no doubt do, if they found it for their interest. We knew that had been their motive for opening the Ports— He said we supposed they had been compelled by our restrictive measures to open the Ports; but he believed we were in that mistaken— I said that we did not attribute it altogether to that— We ascribed much to the Independence of the South American Provinces under which it was impossible that the old exclusive and excluding Colonial system should much longer endure, any where. He remarked that the reason upon which Colonies were confined to exclusive intercourse, with the mother Country was the expense, of their Settlement— Observing me to smile at this, he asked whether it was not so?— I asked how much expense, the Settlement of Mexico and Peru had cost Spain under Cortes and Pizarro? I added it was conquest and conversion: the Bull of Alexander 6. and the sword of injustice, in which the exclusions of modern Colonization had originated. Spain had set the example— She had forbidden foreigners from setting a foot in her Colonies, upon pain of death and the other Colonizing States of Europe, had imitated the exclusion, though not the rigour of the penalty— The expense of colonizing had formed no part of the Consideration— The whole system of modern Colonization was an abuse of Government, and it was time that it should come to an end. But he said that the British Colonies had been settled upon principles of the utmost liberality. I asked him if he had ever read Neal’s History of the Puritans?— No— Well— He knew that the first Settlement of New-England was made by Puritans— Yes— And they were outcasts from their Country, for the sake of Conscience; and Pilgrims from Holland to a Wilderness in America for the sake of their Country— They came here to escape turning to Dutchmen, and even here could not obtain a Charter securing to them the blessing of toleration— He said that was because intolerance was unfortunately the Spirit of that age; which I admitted, but thought it no proof of the liberality of the British System— Mr Canning was also very inquisitive about this expedition of General Ducoudray Holstein and Baptis Irvine against the Island of Porto-Rico, which he seemed to fear was not yet entirely broken up— He betrayed more of alarm than he avowed— It was apparent to me that he suspected the expedition had been secretly sanctioned or connived at by the American Government and that we, intended to make ourselves Masters of Porto-Rico— Without appearing to discover his apprehensions, I said what was sufficient to tranquilize them; told him that the expedition was entirely broken up; and that we had known nothing of it, until we first heard of it from the Island of St. Bartholomew— He intimated a wish that we should give orders to our public vessels in the West-Indies against it, but I gave him no encouragement to expect that we would— Mr Canning as usual kept me till near dark— My family spent the Evening at Dr Thornton’s, and I went in there towards the close of it, myself. The Tingeys, Wingates, R. Forrest’s, and W. S. Smith’s were there— Mrs Thornton and Mrs Wingate entertained us with the Piano; and with singing. I encountered the Doctor at Chess— I received this day a Letter from R. Walsh junr. of Philadelphia.