John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

2. VI. Wednesday.

Attended the Literary Convention Morning and afternoon— A paper was read by Mr Lleras of the Republic of Columbia, upon the subject of the State of Education in South-America generally, and in that Republic especially— A Committee was appointed to report a plan, for a National Literary and Scientific Institution— A Resolution that it is expedient to establish such an institution had been adopted by the last year’s Convention.— I was now placed upon this Committee— After the adjournment of the morning the Committee met at the house of the Revd. Dr James M. Matthews, and discussed the plan— Questions were started, what should be the title of the Society—Academy—Association Society—Institute—Institution; not very momentous which— Whether the numbers should be limited— How divided into Classes whether of domestic and foreign members—of Resident and honorary? and under what divisions of the Sciences— The practice of the French Institute was referred to— Dr Matthews 292undertook to draw up the report— I dined in the Apartment of George Sullivan, with him and his family— There was also a young Lawyer named Warner engaged with Sullivan in a cause now upon trial before the Chancellor of the State Walworth in which individuals are claimants against the Trinity Church of this City.— A cause involving as Mr Sullivan says rights of property to the amount of two or three Millions of dollars.— The Convention met at 5 in the afternoon, and the plan for a National Literary and Scientific Society was reported. There was some discussion upon the title to be adopted, but that point was soon postponed for further consideration, and the main debate, a warm one was upon the question whether should be of a limited number. It was half past eight when the Convention adjourned— I had yesterday received invitations to visit the Libraries of the Mercantile and of the Mechanic Associations. A Mr William Wood had called upon me with a Letter from R. B. Brown President of the Mercantile Library and I had agreed to go whenever I should have the time and this day I received a similar invitation to visit the Apprentices Library from John Stephens junr. President of that Society— A second invitation this day from Mr Brown included the members of the Convention, and I read it to them. The Presidents and a Committee from Both the Societies, attended the afternoon Meeting of the Convention, and immediately after the adjournment I accompanied the Committee’s and visited both the Libraries and reading room. As also the Lecture room of the American Lyceum— These are excellent Institutions. the Mercantile Library is for the benefit of the Merchants Clerks, and that of the Apprentices for the youth of the Mechanic Professions— At both I saw numbers of young men assiduously reading and both the Catalogues of the books, and several other pamphlets relating to both Institutions were given me— Also the pamphlet containing the proceedings of a Convention in May last, to form an American Lyceum— There was a Type-foundery which I was also to have seen but the adjournment of the Convention was too late, and it was shut up— After I returned to my lodgings Mr Sullivan came and sat with me an hour in Conversation.