John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

17. IV.30. Tuesday. VII.15

I rose twice First at half past four with a racking head-ache and some fever, with my severe complaint upon me— I found my table and papers covered with ashes, blown in from the chimney— There had been a tempest with floods of rain falling all Night— I took my Bibles and my Letter to J. Bailey down to the dining room—read the last 3 chapters of the Proverbs and 1 of Ecclesiastes, and attempted to write but found it impossible— I came up chamber, and went to bed again, and lay till after Sunrise— So much time unavoidably lost. With much difficulty I finished my Letter to Mr Bailey and rode to the House.— On the reading of the Journal Mr Patton complained that it made an incorrect statement of his rejected motion,—by representing it as a motion to amend a Resolution offered by Mr Hubbard of New-Hampshire— Patton said that it killed his proposition, and he only wished to give it a decent burial— Every body knew that for him to offer an amendment to any resolution of the Gentleman from New-Hampshire would be absurd presumption— The fact was that his, Patton’s motion was a distinct proposition of his own, and the 9th. rule had been expressly excepted from those adopted on the 205motion of Mr Hubbard— The Speaker said Mr Hubbard had adopted all the Rules of the House of the last Congress excepting the 55th. and 76th. in his motion, and of course the 9th. was among them—that rule had been excepted at Mr Patton’s motion, which was of course an Amendment proposed to the motion of Mr Hubbard— This altercation between the Speaker and Mr Patton, continued ten or fifteen minutes, with frequent reference both to the Journal, and the daily minutes for the Journal— Patton’s complaint was on a very nice distinction, but was just— There was no decision, and indeed no formal question moved by Patton— David Crockett moved a Resolution for the appointment of a Select Committee on certain Land-claims in the State of Tennessee— C. C. Clay opposed the motion upon the ground that it was proper for the consideration of the Committee of Public Lands; but Crockett carried his motion by a very large majority— The annual Report of the Secretary of the Treasury upon the finances was received and 10000 copies ordered to be printed— Polk’s motion to reconsider the reference of the Deposit removal report to the Committee of the whole on the state of the Union, was resumed— Burges yielded the floor to Clayton who made a short speech against the Reconsideration— The vote to reconsider was 124 to 102— Polk moved its reference to the Committee of Ways and Means— M’Duffie moved an Amendment—with Instructions to report a joint Resolution directing that the Revenues hereafter collected be deposited in the Bank of the United States, according to the faith of the Nation pledged in the Charter—and then moved an adjournment— Carried 110 to 102. Kavanagh told me that the opposition to the adjournment was with a view to the previous question.— In the evening, suffering much pain I was unable to write— I notified Committee of Manufactures to meet to-morrow.