John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

23

5. VI.30. At dawn— Walk to the Capitol. Cloudy.

M’Kean Van Horne Cummins Rush— S.T. Southard S.N. Lloyd. James Force. Peter Towson. Coll Stansbury— Genl Handy— James H Gallaudet Tingey— Thomas Wyer— Edward Watkins— Tobias Barbour— S.W Clay— S.S.

symbols

Chandler— John Holmes— John Macon Branch— John Merriwether Cobb— T. W

This day commenced the first Session of the 19th Congress. Mr John W. Taylor was chosen Speaker of the House of Representatives at the second Ballot. His competitors were Mr Campbell of Ohio, Mr M’Lane of Delaware and Mr Stevenson of Virginia; neither of whom had more than 40 votes at the first ballot. Taylor had 89. and at the second ballot 99— Wyer came to announce to me the first result; and Dr Watkins the second— Mr M’Kean M.H.R. came with a new Colleague, Mr Van Horne, and a young man named Cummins, for a visit of curiosity— Coll. Towson came to introduce General Stansbury of Maryland— Mr Handy and Mr Gallaudet, for a subscription to the Howard Society— Captain Tingey, for a visit; much afflicted at the rumours in circulation, about the leaking of the Brandywine— Says she is a very fine ship; but was laden too deeply—32 pounders being too heavy metal for a frigate. Mr James Lloyd came, and we signed and sealed two Deeds as Trustees, to convey the Estate of the late G. W. Apthorp and his wife now both deceased— These deeds were sent to us by Peter Thacher— The Trusts were created in 1803 and 1804. by Deeds drawn by me— To carry into effect the bequests of Mrs Apthorp’s Will. There were now, (our signatures) were witnessed by my Sons John and Charles and are yet to be acknowledged before a Magistrate. The Secretaries of the Treasury and Navy, were here in the Morning, and those of State and War, after the adjournment of the Houses— Southard said that he had tried last Evening to see the members of the House from New-Jersey but could not find them— Mr Rush brought papers relating to the appointment of Officers to two Revenue Cutters— Mr Clay brought me a Treaty which he had signed with the Minister of Guatemala— Governor Barbour the draft of his answer to the deputation of Creek Indians positively declining to treat on the basis of accepting a cession bounded by the Chatahouchy— Mr Clay strongly inclined to treat on the basis of accepting the Chatahoucy for the boundary, and Mr Barbour intimated a similar opinion— He proposed to consult the members of the Georgia Delegation, to which I assented— They spoke of the Election of Speaker— There were 193 members present—97 necessary to a choice— At the first ballot Taylor had 89.—J. W. Campbell 40. M’Lane 36. Stevenson 17. L. Condict 6. Scattering 5— At the second ballot Taylor 99. M’Lane 44. Campbell 42. Stevenson 5. Scattering 3. Mr Campbell’s votes were from Pennsylvania and Tennessee, chiefly. M’Lane’s from Georgia, South-Carolina, and partly from Virginia— Stevenson’s mostly from Virginia with some from North-Carolina— Clay thinks the election evidence of the strength of the Administration; insisting that many of the members have strong personal objections to Taylor— The New-Jersey members all voted for Dr. Condict at the first ballot; which accounts for Mr Southard’s not having been able to find them last Evening— I was engaged all this Evening—writing.