John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

2. V:30. Monday— Ride with John to the Little Falls Bridge

By way of variety we rode this morning through Georgetown to the little Falls Bridge; but the road is bad, and though along the margin of the river less pleasant than that by the race ground— Mr Brent from the Department of State came for the Letter of Captain Fournier, of the Buenos Ayrean Cruizer Juncal seized at Baltimore for slave trading and piratical acts; the Captain’s Secretary being in attendance for an answer— There is also a Letter from D. B. Ogden at New-York, as Captain Fournier’s Counsel, upon this subject— Mr Southard and Mr Clay were here together— Mr Southard brought and left with me the draft of his answer to the Letter of General Scott; declining to arrest and bring to trial by Court Martial General Macomb, or General Scott himself, and directing him at the expiration of his furlough to repair to his post— Mr Clay spoke of the Report upon the expenditures of secret Service money which he had left with me, and which he wishes to have published in the Newspapers— I had some doubts of the expediency of that measure, as being altogether unusual and novel, and as likely to attract public notice to that part of the Report of the Retrenchment Committee giving it an importance which it would not otherwise possess— Mr Clay and Mr Southard thought it was an exposition necessary to counteract the use which would be made of the misrepresentations in the Report at the Western popular Elections— I kept the paper for further consideration— Mr Clay mentioned the wish of Mr Rumpff, the Minister from the Hanseatic Cities, to add an Article to the Convention, the Ratifications of which were to be this day exchanged; to which I agreed— And I fixed Wednesday next One O’Clock, to receive Mr Rumpff in Audience to take leave— Mr Bailey of Massachusetts introduced to me a Mr Otis of Barnstable, who has been here several months, and with whom there was another person whose name was not mentioned— Commodore Tingey called to pay me a visit: he mentioned that the Congress frigate was here at the Navy yard, and might be got ready for Sea in six weeks time. Eleazar Williams the half breed Seneca Indian preacher came and was in great concern to find that the Senate had not finally acted upon the Treaty under which those in New-York were to remove to Michigan— He said the greater part of them were now disposed to go and he did not know when the opportunity would again occur— He was in great perplexity, and asked my advice what should be done— I said that with regard to the Treaty, nothing could be done but to wait till the next Session of Congress, and the Senate would probably then decide upon it; and with regard to the exchange of the Indian Agents at Green Bay, and Michillimackinac, which he 562again earnestly urged— I told him I must consult with the new Secretary of War General Porter when he should arrive— Major Hamilton came to renew his application for an appointment, and to ask the return of his papers of recommendation which I told him I would have looked up and give to him to morrow— Mr Monroe called here about one O’Clock with Mr Southard, and about an hour afterwards I went with Mrs Adams and visited him and Mrs Monroe, at Marshal Ringgold’s; we found there Mr M’lean the Postmaster General, and Mr G. Graham the Commissioner of the Land Office, who had been out with the Marshal to meet Mr Monroe, but missed him— Coll Roberdeau was also there— Mr Monroe declined the invitation to dine and lodge with us. He looks very little altered since I last saw him in August 1825. Mrs Monroe is much out of health and reduced— Major Nourse, chief Clerk of the War Department brought a Letter from T. L. M’Kenney to the Secretary of War, mentioning that Mr Owen the member of the House of Representatives from Alabama, had offered himself as Commissioner to treat with the Choctaw Indians for some small reservations of land wanted for the State of Alabama, and would ask no compensation; but only the payment of his expenses— I declined appointing Mr Owen as Commissioner, because he was a member of Congress— Mr Frye left with me a paper written by Samuel Chase the judge of the Orphans Court requiring vouchers for the payments made by me for Thomas J. Hellen: which he states are necessary for the Settlement of Mr Frye’s Accounts as his guardian— William Taylor, Consul at Vera-Cruz came and took leave, going to-morrow Northward as far as Boston— He expressed himself grateful for the favours he had received from the Government, and requested if a favourable opportunity should present itself that he might be transferred to any Consulate in Europe, more profitable than that of Vera-Cruz. I visited the garden after dinner, and found no new vegetation, but was soon driven by the rain back to the House—