2 December 1826
adams-john10 Neal Millikan Recreation Canals
132

2. VII. Sun rose 7:19. Round Capitol Square— Met Hayne, and Clay.

Rush. Richard. twice. Brown— Genl. Jacob. Mallary— Rollin Wales— George E Ruggles Benjamin Strong— James Hugunin. Daniel junr Drayton William Wood— Silas Sands— Joshua Bell— Samuel Sloan— John Whittlesey. Elisha Metcalfe Thomas Clark James Haile M’Lean— William Hendricks William Test John. Lincoln. Heman Vandeventer Christopher Roberdeau— Isaac Taylor— John W Southard— Samuel L. Clay— Henry. Wood. S. again

I went out to walk this morning, after Sunrise, and having a sprain on one foot was an hour and a half walking round the Capitol Square— I met and spoke to Mr Hayne the Senator from South-Carolina— And Mr Clay overtook me near the Capitol— He walked round the Square with me, and left me at the central market. Mr Rush called twice; with the final Statements from the Treasury of the balances remaining there on the first of January last, and to be expected on the first of January next—and of the revenue for the present and next succeeding year— He brought me also a report, with several Statements from the Commissioner of the General Land-Office, to be communicated with the Message to Congress— Mr Rush spoke with great surprize of the view taken by Mr Clay, of the project for the Chesapeake and Ohio Canals, which were as surprizing to him as they had been to me— General Brown called to say that he had seen and conversed with Mr Taylor the Speaker, and found his dispositions were very good— The General seemed anxious to know what would be said in the message of the army; and I read to him the paragraph concerning it; with which he was well satisfied— Morning visits from 15 members of the house of Representatives, among whom J. W. Taylor also 3 members of the Senate— Mr Lincoln came to speak of the Columbian College—and their debts— He is of the Baptist denomination, as well as Dr Bowles, and much concerned at the manner in which they have involved themselves in debt— He thought they would make provision for it hereafter.— Major Vandeventer brought a large budget of papers from the War Department to be transmitted to Congress with the Message. Coll Roberdeau came and set the Chronometer, by an observation he had this day taken, with 133W. Elliot, on Capitol Hill— I had by inattention suffered the Chronometer to run down. Mr. Southard came with some information from the Navy Department, and Mr Clay to recommend the late Chancellor Kent, for the appointment of judge of the Southern District of that State— J. W. Taylor came and dined with me, and I had much conversation with him, upon general Politics, upon those of the State of New-York; upon the Circumstances of his own re-election, and upon the appointments to be made, of District Judge, and of Surveyor for the Port of New-York. Mr Silas Wood came in the Evening, with a recommendation, numerously signed by respectable merchants of the City recommending Mr Kent for District Judge— But it is four or five years, since he was disqualified by the Constitution of that State, from holding any judicial Office under it, by his age—and his politics have been objectionable to a great majority of the People.

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