John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

8. V:45. Round Capitol Square— Garden.

The weather continues frosty, though less cold than the four preceding days— I visited the garden after my morning walk, and found no sign of further vegetation in my seedling beds— The sprouts of trees from the ground are as they were the last day of March; one of them about 1/8 of an inch above the surface, has not started the tenth of a line more— Ouseley says the plums, though in full blossom have suffered little or nothing by the frost— The double flowering peaches were partially nipp’d— The garden has not suffered much. One more plant, the Phlox has come into flower. Mr Knight, Senator from Rhode-Island called upon me after Breakfast and asked me if I had seen his Resolution, for taking possession of Canada—amicably if we can—forcibly if we must— I answered, somewhat surprised that I had not— He explained that he had offered his Resolution while the Senate were upon the Consideration of Executive business; and it was that a proposal should be made to the British Government, to cede to them all our Territory westward of the Rocky Mountains, in exchange for Upper-Canada. I said the principal question was whether Great-Britain would incline to accept this offer— He said that remark had been made by Mr Tazewell— He informed me also that he should decline a re-election to the Senate, and that there were a multitude of Candidates to supply his place— Mr Silsbee came with Mr Shepherd of Boston who is returning with his daughter from New-Orleans where he has been passing the Winter. Mr De Graff introduced Mr Duane, a young man, grand-son of the former Member of Congress afterwards Mayor of New-York, and United States District Judge. De Graff said that he himself was a Jackson man; but only so because that was the temper of his District, and that Mr Duer was not. I said whatever his opinions might be, I was glad to see a Grandson of judge Duane. William Lee was but a few minutes here— Mr Dorsey introduced a Dr Jones of his District. George Watkins brought me from the Department of State, the draft of a Note from Mr Clay, in answer to one from the Brazilian Charge d’Affaires Rebello, complaining of a Buenos-Ayrean Privateer at Baltimore a Mr Abbot came and delivered to me a Letter, and a vial of Eye-water, from Mr Daniel Schnebley of Hagerstown, who intimates in the Letter that an Office would be very acceptable to him Commodores Chauncey and Morris came to take leave; going to-morrow for their Navy-Yard Stations—Chauncey at New-York—Morris at Charlestown— Major Nourse brought me from the War Department a Volume of Correspondence and some papers relating to the Cherokee Lands in Arkansas— Mr Southard was here nearly two hours conversing with me on various topics resorting from the Navy Department— First a large claim of allowances for the Settlement of an old Account of Amos Binney, formerly Navy Agent at Charlestown, Massachusetts; upon which I thought it would be necessary for Mr Binney to go to Congress— An opinion in which I was confirmed upon perusal of the papers— Next was the decision upon the applications for the remissions of the Sentences of the Court Martials in the case of the Master Commandant Carter and Lieutenants Foster and Spencer— I declined remitting any of the Sentences but desired Mr Southard to write to Judge Spencer informing him of the reasons which forbid the remission in the case of his Son— The appointment of Paymasters to the Marine Corps was again brought into view; and I concluded to nominate to the Senate, Captains Kuhn, Weed, and Howle— Mr Southard enquired of the Instructions to be given to Commodore Biddle, respecting the Brazilian decree 497requiring Bonds to be given for vessels departing from Montevideo— I told him that Mr Tudor had been instructed to state if necessary to the Brazilian Government that our naval Officers would be authorised to resist it—perhaps this notice might supersede the necessity of resistance. The instructions now to be given to Commodore Biddle would be to disregard the decree in every thing short of hostile conflict, and if that should fail, the authority of Congress would be asked for the use of force— He spoke of the Letter he had sent me proposing the nomination of 4 Captains 6. Masters Commandant and 10. Lieutenants in the Navy— I desired him to send me the nominations— He mentioned the application of Dr Heermann for a sword: upon the strength of an old Resolution of Congress, that swords should be presented to Officers who should be designated by Commodore Preble, as having distinguished themselves at the attack upon Tripoli in 1804. Preble never designated the Officers, and has long been dead— But Heermann was with him, a Surgeon in the Navy, at the attack; where he thinks he distinguished himself and claims therefor a Sword— I thought it was too late— We finally determined to appoint Andrew Armstrong as Navy Agent at Lima— Mr Southard told me that the object of the Retrenchment Committee, in obtaining the power of sending for persons and Papers, was to examine William Brown, a Clerk in the Department of State, about the payment of money from the contingent fund to Daniel Pope Cook, upon my Certificate; and with a view to hold it up as money paid for his vote on the Presidential Election— Mr Clay was here, and spoke of another Note, which he had this day received from Mr Rebello, complaining of the arrival at New-York, of a prize, to the Privateer recently arrived at Baltimore, and protesting against his being allowed to refit in our Ports— Mr Clay had written to the Collector at Baltimore, directing that the Privateer should not be permitted to increase her force, within our jurisdiction, and proposed writing to the Collector at New-York, to confine the prize to the reparation of Sea-damages— Mr Southard came a second time, about four O’Clock to say, that a Messenger from Commodore Barron at Norfolk, with tidings that a Son of Commodore Rodgers and two other Midshipmen named Harrison, and Slidell were drowned by the sinking of a Boat in a sudden Squall last Saturday. A fourth named Hunter was barely saved. I wrote this Evening with a heavy heart.