John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

11915. V:30. Swam alone in the Potowmack an hour and ten minutes; to near the mouth of the Tyber, against the tide. Cabinet Meeting at the President’s at one— Mr Wirt absent, from indisposition— The Subject first mentioned by the President for Consideration was a Letter to me from Andreas Luriottis at London, styling himself Envoy of the provisional Government of the Greeks; a copy of which was sent me some months since by R. Rush— This Letter recommending the cause of the Greeks, solicited of the United States, recognition, Alliance and Assistance— It was proper to give a distinct answer to this Letter, and I had asked the President’s directions what the answer should be— The President now proposed the question— Mr Gallatin had proposed in one of his last despatches, as if he was serious that we should assist the Greeks with our naval force in the Mediterranean—one frigate, one Corvette, and one Schooner. Mr Crawford and Mr Calhoun inclined to countenance this project— Crawford asked hesitatingly whether we were at Peace with Turkey, and seemed only to wait for opposition, to maintain that we were not. Calhoun descanted upon his great enthusiasm for the Cause of the Greeks; he was for taking no heed of Turkey, whatever. In this as in many other cases these Gentlemen have two sources of eloquence at these cabinet Meetings—one with reference to sentiment, and the other to action— Their enthusiasm for the Greeks is all Sentiment, and the Standard of this is the prevailing popular feeling— As for actions they are seldom agreed, and after two hours of discussion this day, the subject was dismissed leaving it precisely where it was— Nothing determined, and nothing practicable proposed by either of them— Seeing their drift, I did not think it necessary to discuss their doubts whether we were at Peace with Turkey— Their contempt for the Sublime Porte, or their enthusiasm for the Cause of the Greeks— I have not much esteem for the enthusiasm which evaporates in words; and I told the President, I thought not quite so lightly of a War with Turkey. I said I would prepare an answer to Mr Luriottis and an Instruction to Mr Rush for his consideration. He had proposed the question whether a secret Agent should be sent to Greece— Calhoun mentioned Edward Everett; and I named Lyman; but we cannot send a secret Agent— Our Agents never will be secret. The President informed us that Mr Thompson, the Secretary of the Navy had consented to accept the vacant Seat upon the Bench of the Supreme Court; and that he had thought of Mr Southard the Senator from New-Jersey, for the Navy Department— But he had not written to Mr Southard, nor given him any notice of his intention, nor was he under any engagement or promise whatever to appoint him— He had thought of him as a man of abilities, a native of the State of New-Jersey, one of the original thirteen, and from which there has never been a member of the Administration. He now mentioned it, because three of us stood in peculiar relations with reference to the succession to the place now occupied by him— He considered it honourable to us all, that large portions of the Country were disposed to support each of us for that station— His own confidence in each of us was entire and unimpaired— He made these remarks, not with the expectation that either of us would reply to them, but in reference to the appointment of a Secretary of the Navy; to say that if either of us had any observations to make he would give them full Consideration— As to the Mission to France, he had wished that Mr Gallatin should return thither; but Mr Gallatin himself had urged him to make another appointment and he had thought of Mr James Brown of Louisiana— He was of opinion that in the present critical state of Europe this appointment should be made without delay— This address of the President, was followed by a pause of Silence, which I terminated, by asking Mr Thompson, when he proposed to quit the Department and enter upon his judicial Office. He intimated, not 120very soon, and that he thought it would not be necessary for him to hold the next coming Circuit Courts in New-York, Connecticut and Vermont— The President thought it would be best that he should, and said the Government would be blamed if those terms should pass without a Circuit judge to hold them— Mr Thompson made some question as to the Law, and asked me if I had examined the two Acts of Congress of 1802 and 1808.— By the first the President has the power of allotting a judge to hold the circuit. The second provides that the judge residing in the Circuit shall hold the Circuit Court.— Mr Thompson had some doubts whether his legal residence was in the second District, as he has dwelt for the last four years here. The President said he considered himself as residing in Virginia though he has lived here these twelve years— Mr Calhoun also considered himself as residing in South-Carolina— The President finally asked Mr Thompson to remain with him a few minutes alone— It is remarkable that several newspapers have some days since announced the appointment of Mr Southard to the Navy Department as already made; and some of them have fixed upon the last of this month as the time when he is to enter upon the duties of the office. He is said to be a devoted partizan of Mr Calhoun; which I suppose was the occasion of the President’s remarks on announcing his intention to appoint him— I took a short, solitary Evening walk.