John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

303

28. IV:15. Thursday.

Greenleaf E. Price

I went into Boston this morning, with Gillett’s Stage; surrounded by seven women, and two young girls as fellow passengers— The women were coming in, all the way through Milton, Dorchester and Roxbury. One of them had a young robin, in a basket, covered over with a towel, and which she said she would keep in Boston— I alighted at the foot of Winter Street, and went to my Son Charles’s house— His wife came down to me, and said she was perfectly well; but complained of a singing in her ears which she said had been constant since her return from her late excursion— After sitting with me in conversation about a quarter of an hour, she said suddenly she feared she should faint, and asked me to call one of her maids— Two of them came and helped her up to her bed-chamber— The man Servant was sent for Dr Bigelow, and I went immediately to Charles’s Office where I found him, and advised him of his wife’s indisposition, upon which he immediately went home. I went to the Minister Francis Parkman’s; but he was not at home— I then called again at my Son’s house— Charles was there. Dr Bigelow had not been found, but another physician was with Mrs Adams and had administered an emetic— Before I left the House, Charles told me that it had operated, and his wife was relieved. I then called at Mr James H. Foster’s, and saw Mrs Foster and her three daughters. Mary’s health is yet feeble, but improved since last Summer— My next call was at Mr Hallett’s house; and then at his office; where I had conversation with him on the law of libel; the trial of John P. Zenger, and upon his articles in the Daily Advocate, against the decision of Judge Thacher upon a case of libel which is to be retried upon appeal to the Supreme Court of the Commonwealth, next November. Hallett read me a Letter from Richard Rush, enclosing one from the Secretary of State Forsyth to him, urging him to accept the appointment of Agent to recover the Smithsonian bequest— Rush’s Letter manifests much anxiety to have it represented in the Boston Advocate that this was no exception to a sturdy resolution to accept no political office under President Jackson— I told Hallett that I was very glad Mr Rush had received this appointment, believing that he needed it; and that he would faithfully perform its duties— That I differed very widely from Mr Rush’s present politics, and had no sympathy with his fastidious delicacy about accepting Office, under President Jackson— This is the third Office which he has already accepted as appendages to this administration, and I see no distinction of principle between them and others, more permanent and more important— The Meeting of the Historical Society was notified for 12 O’Clock at Noon—and that of the Overseers of Harvard Colleg at half-past twelve— It was near that when I reached the Historical Society Meeting— They were about ballotting for the Election of Members— They voted according to the primitive practice of New-England, with kernels of maize for affirmative, and small white beans for negative votes— I voted for Henry Clay, President Allen of Brunswick College, and Levi Woodbury, as corresponding members, all of whom were elected. I spoke to Mr Jared Sparks, and enquired if he had any documentary information of the early life of the late Mr Madison; but he said he had none— The President of the Society Thomas L. Winthrop invited me to dine, with him at half past two, which I 304accepted— I was soon after called out by judge Joseph Hall, who also invited me to dine with him, which I was obliged to decline— I then went to attend the Meeting of the Board of Overseers, but at the gate of the State House met President Quincy, Dr Pearce the Secretary of the Board, Mr Frothingham, Dr Thomas Gray, and Mr Francis Parkman. The Meeting was over and had confirmed all the honorary Doctorates proposed by the Corporation; among them was N. L. Frothingham as Doctor of Divinity and Levi Woodbury as Doctor of Laws— I spoke to Mr Parkman about the record of Mrs Tudor’s marriage, and promised to call upon him between 4 and 5 in the afternoon— I returned to Charles’s House— Mrs Frothingham was there; and Mr Frothingham to whom I had mentioned Mrs Charles’s sudden illness— Mr P. C. Brooks came in soon after— She was much relieved— At half past two I went and dined with Mr Winthrop— His two Sons; his unmarried daughter, Chief Justice Shaw, Judge White of Salem, Dr. Charles Lowell, and Dr. Gamaliel Bradford were the company I talked more than my share, and not very wisely— Between four and five I went again to Mr Francis Parkman’s, and received from him the extract from the record of his Church, of the marriage of William Tudor with Delia Jarvis on the 5th. of March 1778. by Dr Andrew Eliot then the Pastor of the New North Church— I returned once more to my Son Charles’s House, and then waited for Wilson who had gone in after dinner with the Carriage— I came out alone and got home at the dusk of Evening— The sudden illness of Mrs Charles, cast a gloom over the day, and made my visit to Boston more unpleasant than usual