John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

21. IV.45. Thursday.

Began my version of the fourth Psalm, and sent the last two half sheets of my Oration to the printers in Boston— I went in with John Kirke myself and attended a Meeting of the ФB.K. Society, which had been called by Edward Everett their President, by an Advertisement in the Newspapers— I was surprized to find assembled at the Hall of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences between fifty and sixty Members— The President soon after I entered called the Meeting to order and stated his object in calling it—which was to consider the propriety of revising the charter and fundamental Laws of the Society; which he read— He read also that part of a recent publication of Avery Allyn upon Free-Masonry, which relates to the Ф.B.K. Society—and in which an account in some respects erroneous of the Origin and character of the Institution is given— And he further read a Letter to him from William Short now at Philadelphia. William Short was the first signer at William and Mary College, Virginia, of the Charter of the Ф.B.K. society at Harvard University— This Charter was granted to Elisha Parmele in 1779: and in the Statutes of the Institution there is the form of an Oath to be administered to every member at his admission. Short says the Society was formed by a fellow Student of his at the College of Williamsburg, because he prided himself in being the first Hellenist of the College, and that it was to rivalise another Society with Latin initials— After these Papers I enquired what other branches of the Society were known to exist at this Time 232with a view to propose some communication with them before adopting any definitive measure— Judge Story moved that a Committee should be appointed to take the charter and Laws of the Society into Consideration, and report a revision of them to the Society at an adjoint Meeting. While the Judge was reducing his Motion to writing, I offered one, not to supersede his but to be adopted with it— I enquired if the elections were already completed, of the Members of the Class now passing from the Junior to the Senior Class— Nobody knew; but it was believed that part of them were chosen, and the rest remained to be elected— I moved a Resolution that no Oath should be administered to any Member of the Society to be hereafter elected, and no promise of secrecy required— Judge Story withdrew his motion to allow mine to be debated— Many amendments were proposed to my motion, which were debated at least two hours— No direct opposition to it was avowed—but substitutes and Amendments rapidly succeeded one another, and the debate was running into a snarl— Franklin Dexter at last proposed as an Amendment to my Resolution, that no Secret should be disclosed to any member to be admitted hereafter— I accepted it as a part of my Motion deeming it a mere verbal addition, signifying nothing, but it raised a fourfold array of objections, and my motion was finally voted to be laid on the Table— Judge Story’s motion was then taken up and after some discussion adopted— He moved that the Committee should consist of nine, and be nominated by the President, which was agreed to. The Committee are Judge Story, J. Q. Adams, H. H. Fuller, Dr. Lowell, A. H. Everett, C. G. Loring, L. Baldwin, J. T. Austin, and Judge C Jackson— I then moved that the form of Oath in the Record Book should be repealed, to which J. T. Austin objected as not in order, after the appointment of the Committee and the President so divided— But Mr Loring moved that no new member should be admitted till after the Committee shall have reported, and that vote passed— It is now vacation at the College so that none can be admitted— The Meeting adjourned to Thursday the 11th. of next Month, and Judge Story notified the members of the Committee to meet next Monday Morning at ten. We adjourned at half past one— The views of Judge Story extend to a total remodeling of the Society—to abolish the rule requiring unanimity, at the election of the Members, and to turn the Society into an Academy of Literature— He declared his disapprobation of all secret Societies, and declared the Administration of the Oath illegal— As I returned from the Meeting to Charles’s Office, I met before it Judge Hall, who went in there with me for a few minutes, and then to the Judge’s House where he insisted upon giving me a box of Lee’s antibilious pills— I went to Charles’s House, and saw his wife— He was not at home— I returned to Quincy to dine. Evening walk in Garden and Nursery— The walnuts have come up in numbers, but they and all the other seedlings droop— Some die, I know not how or why— Mr Gourgas was here in the Evening— Shower— Distant Thunder.