John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

18. IV. Tuesday.

Called from my Nursery and Garden by a visit from Mr Quincy, President of Harvard University— I asked him when it was proposed to appoint a Professor of Natural History— He said the fund bequeathed by Dr Fisher had not been received, two of the Doctor’s relatives being authorised by his Will to retain the use of the fund, for one year after his decease. I mentioned to him the desire of Dr Waterhouse to obtain this appointment, of which he said he had not been informed— He was apprehensive that Dr Waterhouse would be thought too old— I suppose him to be about 76. Mr Quincy thought Mr Nuttall, the curator of the Botanic Garden, must necessarily be the person chosen, but said Dr Harris now the Librarian had also been mentioned— Mr Nuttall is now in Europe, and Mr Quincy had been longer without hearing from him than he thought proper— He told me also that as President Jackson is about visiting Boston, the Corporation of the University had thought it necessary to invite him to visit the Colleges—that he Mr Quincy should address him in a Latin Discourse; and confer upon him the degree of Doctor of Laws— And he intimated that I should receive an invitation to be present at these ceremonies— I said that the personal Relations in which President Jackson had chosen to place himself with me were such that I could hold no intercourse of a friendly character with him— I could therefore not accept an invitation to attend upon this occasion— And independent of that, as myself an affectionate child of our alma Mater, I would not be present to witness her disgrace in conferring her highest Literary honours upon a barbarian, who could not write a sentence of Grammar, and hardly could spell his own name. Mr Quincy said he was sensible how utterly unworthy of Literary honours Jackson was; but the Corporation thought it was necessary to follow the precedent, and treat him precisely as Mr Monroe his Predecessor had been treated— As the People of the United States had seen fit to make him their President, the Corporation thought the honours which they conferred upon him were compliments due to the Station, by whomsoever it was occupied— Mr Quincy said it was thought also that the omission to shew the same respect to President Jackson, which had been shewn to Mr Monroe, would be imputed to party Spirit, which they were anxious to avoid— I was not satisfied with these reasons, but it is college ratiocination and College Sentiment— Time serving and Sycophancy are qualities of all learned and Scientific Institutions— More than 50 years since the College gave this degree of Doctor of Laws to a Frenchman by the name of Valnais, about as fit for it as Andrew Jackson— Valnais was the first French Consul at Boston, and the People were so tickled with the glory of having a Consul to reside among them, that Dr. Cooper prevailed upon the then Corporation to make him a Doctor of Laws. I had some good humoured discussion with Mr Quincy upon this occurrence, but adhered to my determination to stay at home— Mr and Mrs Foster were here this afternoon— They had been to Mr John Greenleaf’s to see Judge Cranch but he was gone out.