- Force Peter
- Laurence
Rain, great part of the day which confined me to the house. Mr Force and
Mr Laurence
came, as a Committee from the National Institution for the promotion of
Science; and stated that they proposed to hold a Meeting of the Society
on the first Monday, the 4th. of January
next, when a discourse is to be delivered by Mr
Poinsett— The Society are desirous of obtaining the use of
the Hall of the House of Representatives that evening for that
purpose—and wished me to offer the Resolution that it be granted; which
I promised to do.— They said the Institution was likely to flourish, and
that great interest was taken in it, by the people here— Mr Force left with me a memorandum of two
books which I borrowed of him more than three years since, and which I
have not yet returned.— The day was fully occupied and quickly passed
away— I made out my list of the persons to whom the documents of which
extra-copies are printed by order of the house, are to be sent— My rule
of distribution is 1. One copy to each of the Editors of the Newspapers
published at Plymouth (the Old Colony Memorial[)] Hingham Patriot and
Quincy Patriot— The Boston Courier and Evening Gazette. 2 To my Son, and a few other personal
friends. 3. To the Senators in the Legislature of Massachusetts from the
Counties of Plymouth and Norfolk 4. To one representative from each of
the 24 towns in the 12th. Congressional
District of Massachusetts— My portion of the extra documents, is seldom
sufficient for the whole of this supply— Often for not half of them— My
Son—the Newspaper Editors, and the County Senators are first served— The
others are furnished according to the numbers of my allowance— I keep
lists of the extra documents printed by order of the house at each
Session, and of the names of the persons to whom I send them— I made out
my lists for the present Session; and despatched by the mail 17 copies
of the Presidents annual
Message.— But the lists are imperfect till the meeting of the
Massachusetts Legislatures shall ascertain the Senators for the Counties
of Plymouth and Norfolk, and the Representatives from the 24 towns of
the 12th. Congressional district— I thought
it necessary to look into the case of the Amistad captives, to prepare
for the argument before the Supreme Court in January; of which I dare
scarcely to think— I read especially the Article in the American and
foreign Anti-Slavery Reporter of 1. October 1840. entitled the Amistad
case—p. 48–51. with deep anguish of heart, and a painful search of means
to defeat and expose the abominable conspiracy executive and judicial of
this Government against the lives of these wretched men— How shall the
facts be brought out? How shall it be possible to comment upon them with
becoming temper—with calmness—with moderation—with firmness—with
address—to avoid being silenced, and to escape the imminent danger of
giving the adversary the advantage in the argument, by over heated zeal.
Of all the dangers before me, that of losing my self possession is the
most formidable— I am yet unable to prepare the outline of the argument,
which I must be ready to offer the second week in January. Let me not
forget my duty.