A Mr
Read from Connecticut came with a young man named White, who is about to publish a second
Edition of a Universal biographical dictionary in one octavo Volume—
They wanted my Subscription and recommendatory certificate which I
declined giving, but agreed to take two copies of the Book— Read had
addressed me in a formal speech—
Brown— General came and entered upon
a long political conversation, until we were interrupted— It concerned
much the Postmaster-General M’Lean, and Mr H. Lee—whom he has introduced into the Office
as an assistant— The General wishes to engage friendly dispositions on
my 11part towards them— I told him what had passed
concerning Mr Lee; and assured him that
neither of them should experience injustice or unkindness from me.
Rush— R. with sundry papers
relating to the appointment of Officers of Revenue Cutters, and
complaints against the Collector at Pensacola Hamilton & with his
recriminations against Alexander Scott
jr. his accuser.
Barbour James— S.W who took back
his papers relating to Indian concerns—particularly the draft of his
Report urging the necessity of incorporating the Indians within our own
system— He mentioned having had a conversation with Mr
Gaillard, a Senator from South-Carolina, who wished that
something conciliatory to the South might be said in the message to calm
their inquietudes concerning their Slaves— He wished something to
sustain the friends of the Administration against the overwhelming
influence of the Calhoun party,
which they had been unable to resist, and by which they were oppressed—
I said I should be glad to do any thing in my power to gratify Mr Gaillard; but the Legislature of
South-Carolina itself had put it out of my power to say any thing
soothing to the South on that subject—by persisting in a Law, which
a Judge of the Supreme Court of the
U.S. himself a native and inhabitant of South-Carolina had
declared to be in direct violation of the Constitution of the United
States—which the Attorney General
of the United States had declared to infringe the rights of foreign
Nations; against which the British Government had repeatedly
remonstrated, and upon which we had promised them that the cause of
complaint should be removed—a promise, which the obstinate adherence of
the Government of South-Carolina to their law had disenabled us from
fulfilling— The Governor of
South-Carolina, had not even answered the Letter from the
Department of State, transmitting to him the complaint of the British
Government against this Law— In this state of things, for me to say any
thing gratifying to the feelings of the South-Carolinians on this
subject, would be to abandon the ground taken by the Administration of
Mr
Monroe, and disable us from taking hereafter measures
concerning the Law, which we may be compelled to take— To be silent is
not to interfere with any State rights, and not to interfere renounces
no right of ourselves or others.
Southard— S.N— Conversation upon
his Reports of January 1824 and 1825 recommending a Navy Peace
establishment, the last of which I had not been able to find— I read to
him the part of my draft of a Message, which relates to the distribution
of our naval force, and the recommendation of a naval School; as I had
read to Governor Barbour that relating to the Creek and Georgia
controversy— I had intended to convoke the members of the Administration
to morrow for the first reading of the Message— But Mr Clay being
yet unwell, I postposed it till the next day.
Mower. Mr of
the Post-Office, New-York, here on a visit. Had a list of the members
from New-York in the present Congress, but knew scarcely any thing of
them. Card visit from Mr Sampson
Canedy. Peleg C. an Apothecary’s shop keeper came to apply for a Consular appointment.