5 August 1828
adams-john10 Neal Millikan Elections, Presidential 1828
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5. IV:30. Tuesday— Ride from Rossburg to Baltimore.

There had been too much baggage packed behind our light Carriage; and we left two of our Trunks to be sent on by one of the Stages to Baltimore— Edward Wyer passed through Rossburg in a Hack from Washington in the Night— We left Rossburg at five A.M. and arrived at Merrill’s tavern at Waterloo 15 Miles. at 8. There breakfasted—rested our horses till half past eleven—and then rode to Baltimore and at 15 minutes past two, alighted at Barnum’s tavern— The morning was cloudy with a succession of light drizzling Showers, by which being on horseback I was not a little annoyed— And having been so long disused to this exercise, the ride of 27 Miles this day, following that of 9 last Evening was very fatiguing— I found myself also somewhat sore from excoration— We dined immediately after our arrival at Baltimore; and from four in the afternoon till near eleven at Night had a continual stream of visitors, almost all Strangers, but who came to shake hands with the President— In the Evening there was a Jackson party popular meeting, in the Square adjoining to Barnum’s house, at which a young man named M’Mahon, a member of the State Legislature, harangued the multitude for about three hours upon the unpardonable sins of the Administration, and the transcendant virtues of Andrew Jackson— He was still speaking when I retired to bed, and I heard his voice like the beating of a mill-clapper, but nothing that he said. The meeting dispersed about eleven at Night. There was a similar Meeting of the friends of the Administration a few Nights since; and there are Ward Meetings or Committee Meetings of both parties, every day of the week— It is so in every part of the Union— A Stranger would think that the People of the United States have no other occupation than electioneering.

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