- Southard. S. L
- Borosky.
- Colbert— Dougherty
- Roberdeau Col
l. - Ironside G. E
- Burges. Tristam
Mr
Southard called twice in the course of the Morning first
to mention letters received from Commodore
Hull in the Pacific, and from Rodgers at Malta, in December; and afterwards to read to
me a reply from General Jackson,
to the answer Southard had sent him to the Letter which Jackson had
written to him about the after dinner Conversation last Summer at
Fredericksburg— The reply is in two or three sheets of paper; written in
a coarse and insulting Style, somewhat verbose, and with passion partly
suppressed; alledging that he had received the statement of Mr Southard’s remarks from Dr Wallace
and a Mr Johnson,
in writing—these were two of the guests at table— He complains that Mr Southards answer is argumentative, instead
of plain matter of fact; which he had expected; and then it enter into
large historical details to shew that he received no proper supplies
from the War Department for 164a165the defence of New-Orleans, but saved that City by obtaining pistol
flints from Barataria— He finishes the Letter by announcing it as a
close of the Correspondence— Borosky was a
stranger who announced himself as a Polish Officer wanting money to go
to Philadelphia, where he expected to obtain relief from S. Girard— The impositions I have
endured from pretenders of this description have made me callous to
their applications— I denied him; not without reluctance— Colbert is a Chickasaw Indian
Youth, about 17. who has been living two years for education with
Coll.
M’Kenney, and being now on the point of departure to
return home, came to take leave. Coll. Roberdeau, brought me a
note from W. Elliot, mentioning
the hours of eclipses of Jupiter’s Satellites, for some weeks to come:
among which was one at ten O’Clock this Evening— Coll. Roberdeau mentioned also a plan that he
has formed for improving the Militia; upon which he is preparing a
paper— Mr
Ironside came and introduced Coll of Delaware; a stranger; but who immediately commenced
upon politicks— Says Delaware is broken all to pieces, and knows not who
will be elected to the House of Representatives, in the place of
L. M’Lane—perhaps W. H. Welles. Mr Burges
of Rhode-Island called—detained here by the illness of two of his
daughters— Spoke of a Marine Hospital, which the
Delegation from Rhode-Island have requested might be erected at
Providence— Expressed some doubts as to the right of Congress to levy a
tax of 20 Cents a Month upon the wages of Seamen; but without recurring
to that he thought it just that the money should be expended where it
had been raised— I told him I had heard that point much discussed
heretofore in Congress, and the argument used that the Seamen of
New-England were much oftener sick at the Southern Ports than at home—
He will see me again upon this subject before he leaves the City—
Evening very heavy— Catarrh still troublesome.