John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

7. IV:30. Wednesday— Fahrenheit 16-20

Began the version of the 49th. Psalm. Attended at the House of Representatives— John Oswald Dunn was at the second ballot Sergeant at arms— He is a very young man, Son of the person who formerly held the Office— There were several Candidates, and among them was Coll. David Brearley for whom I voted at the first ballot— Overton Carr was chosen Door-keeper at the first ballot He has been sometime the Assistant, and Benjamin Burch the Door-keeper— But he has been for several years and yet is an invalid, confined to his house— Carr’s election, made a vacancy in the assistant’s Office, and there were twelve Candidates successively nominated by different members; and after three ballot’s without effecting a choice, a motion was made, and succeeded to adjourn. Mr John Reed, with whom I had yesterday left my Letter to Governor Lincoln, to obtain the signatures of the members of the delegation who had not signed the paper, returned it to me, signed by all the other members, excepting Davis; who finally declined signing it— He said he was not unfriendly to the object of it but had some doubts whether the remedy would not be worse than the disease. I wrote also a private Letter to Governor Lincoln to accompany that of the delegation— The weather continually very cold—the thermometer all day was between 16 and 20.