14 April 1827
adams-john10 Neal Millikan Recreation Railroads
172

14. IV. Round Capitol Square— Sun rose 5:29.

Southard Saml. L Ringgold. Tench Minnis Mr and Mrs     and two Ladies. Caldwell— Dr. M’Cauley— Dr Forrest— Richard Roberdeau— Coll. Isaac Brent. Daniel Rush— Richard Clay— Henry.

Mr Southard has been upon a short visit to Baltimore. He came to ask for directions concerning the feuds which have arisen between Coll. Henderson Commandant, and Captain Kuhn, Paymaster of the Marine Corps— They have all sprung from tattling and tale-bearing, and I asked if it was not possible to give the parties privately to understand, that a trial of such things by a Court-martial would be discreditable to them all— He said he would make an effort to reconcile them without official interference, and if that should prove unsuccessful he proposed to call a Court of Enquiry with directions to report the facts and their opinion upon them— Mr Ringgold has just returned from a visit to Mr Monroe at Oak-Hill; and brought me, as Wyer had done, a message of friendly sympathy from him— Mr Minnis and his wife with another man and two Ladies whose names were not announced are travellers from Hartford and Stafford in Connecticut, who came to Washington, to see the President’s House and the President, and other curiosities of the Metropolis— They sent a special request to be permitted to see me with which I readily complied— Dr Caldwell comes from Lexington Kentucky, and is proceeding Northward— Dr Holley has resigned his Office as President of the Transylvania University, and is going to Europe to superintend a School of boys, from this Country 173to be educated there under his tuition— Caldwell says he has about ten boys who are going with him, and expects as many more— But Caldwell thinks it a wild and absurd project which must fail. The principle of educating American boys in Europe, is bad, but Dr Holley’s device for defraying the expense of travelling and residing some time in Europe himself is ingenious enough. He has a restless ambition, not suited to his profession— If his undertaking fails, it will be chiefly from this cause— Dr M’Cauley is engaged upon the newly projected Rail road from Baltimore to the Ohio river; for the Surveys of which he wishes to have assistance from the Engineers of the United States: this project has entirely superseded that of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal; and a subscription of several Millions of Dollars has been filled at Baltimore for effecting it— They have however not yet ascertained that it will be practicable; and the great object of the work is to secure a large portion of the internal trade from the Western Country to the City of Baltimore. I told Dr M’Cauley, that whatever assistance could be given by the Engineers of the United States should be willingly yielded— Mr Forrest brought again for signature the Exequatur of    Cazenove as Sardinian Vice-Consul at Boston— Coll. Roberdeau to speak of his Memoir upon the organization of the Militia— Mr Brent, to enquire if the outfit of H. Wheaton as Charge d’Affaires to Denmark might now be paid to him, at his request, though he proposes not to embark till July—I said it might be paid, Mr Wheaton being notified that his Salary will commence only from the time of his departure upon his Mission— Mr Rush brought some documents relating to the Condition of the Marine hospital fund; and thought it doubtful whether the application of Mr Burges and the Rhode-Island delegation for the erection of a hospital at Providence could be complied with— It appears that for the last seven years the balance of the expenditures over the receipts from that fund in Rhode-Island is rather against the State— But in the period from 1802. it is near 10,000 dollars on the other side. On full consideration I thought half that sum, might be applied to the Hospital at Providence, and that the balance between the Receipts and Expenditures might be fully restored by a further appropriation hereafter— Mr Clay mentioned that Mr John Speed Smith had declined accepting the appointment of Secretary to the Mission to Tacubaya; but there is no necessity for an immediate appointment to supply his place— I was industriously occupied in the Evening.

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