John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

10. VII. Just before breakfast, I received a Note from the President desiring me to call upon Mr Brown of Louisiana, and propose to him the mission to Mexico— Immediately after breakfast I called at his house, but he was already gone to the Senate— I went to the Capitol, and saw him in the Senate chamber, from which we retired into the Committee Room— I told him I was charged by the President to enquire if the Mission to Mexico would be agreeable to him— He expressed the acknowledgments for the confidence manifested in the offer, which he declined— The State of Society, and the condition of the Country, being such that he could not think of taking his wife there, and he could not think of going without her— I then told him that this was all I had in charge, from the President; but as he proposed to nominate Ministers also to Spain, to Colombia, to Buenos Ayres and to Chili, I would ask him of my own authority whether either of them would suit him better than Mexico— He said, if any one, there would be less objection to Spain, than any of the rest— The state of Society being better there— But he afterwards said no—he should prefer his situation as a Senator, twice conferred upon him, without solicitation on his part, and for which he felt himself under the deepest obligations to the People of Louisiana— Though the State of his health had been such as had almost induced him a few days since to send in his resignation— I reported to the President this answer, which somewhat perplexes him, for the choice of a Minister to Mexico in place of Mr Brown. He is a man peculiarly fitted for that Mission; or indeed any other— A man of large fortune—respectable talents— Handsome person—polished manners, and elegant deportment— The President had already promised the Spanish Mission, to Mr Hugh Nelson of Virginia. He spoke of Richard C. Anderson of Kentucky for Colombia, Caesar A. Rodney of Delaware, for 6Buenos-Ayres, and Heman Allen of Vermont for Chili— To distribute the appointments to the various Sections of the Union— He now spoke of John Lewis Taylor Chief Justice of North-Carolina; and asked me to see; between this and Monday, Mr Macon the Senator from that State, and enquire into his character— At the Senate chamber in the Capitol I saw Mr Gaillard the Senator from South-Carolina, and spoke to him of the appointment of a District Judge in South-Carolina— He and his Colleague have recommended a Mr Bennett— Others have very strongly recommended a Mr Lee— When I mentioned him, Gaillard said there were three brothers named Lee— If it was Thomas Lee, he would be well qualified, but probably would not accept the appointment— From the President’s I went to the Office at one—and soon after Mr Canning came with Mr Parish; and Mr Ellisen, the Russian Chargé d’Affaires, with Baron Maltitz and we exchanged the Ratifications of the Convention signed at St. Petersburg, the 12th. of July last. This was the first Convention ever negotiated by the United States under a Mediation, and of which the exchange was accordingly tripartite— Mr Canning was excessively punctilious upon every point of formality. Mr Ellisen much less so— We were employed till six O’Clock before the Exchange was completed. Mr Canning had two certificates of exchange to execute—one with me, and one with Mr Ellisen— That which I had drawn up was tripartite, to be executed by all three and each party to retain one— But after five or six copies of my draught had been made, and still Mr Canning wanted some insignificant transposition of words, requiring new copies, which there was no longer time to make out, I gave up altogether my draught, and we merely signed a Protocole in French, proposed by Mr Ellisen, and which contained all the substance of the certificate that I had drawn up— It included of course an acknowledgment by Mr Ellisen of the receipt of the certified copy of the Convention, which by its 8th. Article was to be delivered by each of the parties, to the Minister or Agent of the mediating power— We compared together all the ratified Copies. I held the English ratified Copy, and Mr Brent, the Russian ratified copy which we were to receive— Mr Canning held our ratified copy, and Mr Parish the Russian ratified copy, which were to be delivered to Mr Canning. And Mr Ellisen held our ratified copy, and Baron Maltitz the British ratified copy which were to be delivered to Mr Ellisen, each party thus collating the two copies which it was to retain— Mr Ironside holding at the same time the original executed Treaty, transmitted by Mr Middleton. There were several slight variations between the copies— None of any consequence. But there were three explanatory documents in French only, which in the English copies and in ours formed part of the ratified Convention, but in the Russian, were on separate papers, not within the body of the ratification—but signed and sealed as annexed copies— Mr Canning took great exception to this, and insisted upon having a minute of it entered upon the Protocol, as it was— I executed with Mr Canning also the agreement for the payment of the Commissioners and Arbitrators— He accepted the modification proposed by the President with some slight alterations. It was quite dark when I came home to dinner— Mrs Adams and all the family except myself passed the Evening at Mr Frye’s— As I was coming down this Monday from the Capitol, I meet General Smyth, and asked him if he had received my answer to his Letter asking to inspect Mr Brearley’s copy of the revised draught of a Constitution— He said he had and would 7take some opportunity to call at the Office and see it— I told him I should be glad to be present when he should come, and would thank him to give me notice of the time; which he said he would—