John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

21— V.30.

Dr. Laury, Minister of the first Presbyterian Church, in this City, called on me this morning, with an invitation to attend, the Convention, of the Churches in this District, for promoting, the observance of the Sabbath— I had already received a similar invitation, from Mr. Matthew Hale Smith, Minister of the 2d. Presbyterian Church, to attend, as their Delegate— The preliminary meeting, is to be held, next Tuesday evening, at 9 o’clock at the Presbyterian Church, on four and a half Street, which I promised to attend, 438if my health, would permit— The meeting of the Committee of Manufactures, had been adjourned, to this morning at eleven o’clock— I attended accordingly, but only two other Members of the Committee, were present— Charles. Hudson of Massachusetts, and James. H— Johnson of New Hampshire— No business could of course be done—and no order could be taken, upon the only subject referred to the Committee— They adjourned, to meet again, next Wednesday. At the House, B. B. French the Clerk was absent, from indisposition— Sundry Reports from Committees, were received—among which, one from Thomas. J. Henley, of Indiana, Chairman of the Committee on Patents— A Bill from the Senate for the relief of Charles. G. Page, an examiner at the Patent Office, a Bill to suspend the operation, of the 2d. 7th. and 15th. Sections of the Patent Act, of 4th. July 1836. which prohibits the granting of Patents, to any person appointed, or employed, in the Patent Office— This suspension, was to exempt Mr. Page, from this prohibition, for allowing him to take out a Patent, for an invention, of his own in the application of electricity, and Magnetism— George W. Hopkins of Virginia, opposed the Bill, and Martin Grover of New York moved to lay it on the Table, which was carried, by yeas and nays 113. to 54— I voted in the affirmative, no sufficient reason being assigned, in my judgment, for an especial exception in this case, from the salutary rule, of the Law. William L. Yancey, of Alabama moved twice, that when the House adjourned it should be till Tuesday, the 24. in honor of the memory of Washington, whose birthday, occurs this year on Sunday, the 22d. and is to be kept, as a festival, on the ensueing day— Yancey failed, in his first attempt, and succeeded in his second— Committee of the whole on private Bills, Samuel F. Vinton, of Ohio in the Chair— Among the Bills was one granting commutation, of half pay, to the Heirs of Col William Grayson—which was earnestly opposed, by Henry S. Clark, of North Carolina, Jacob Collamer, of New York, and Jacob Brinkerhoff, of Ohio— I took part in this discussion, by bearing testimony, to the merit and services, of Col Grayson, to whom in the year 1785. I brought a letter of introduction, from Mr. Jefferson, then Minister of the United States, in France— Mr. Grayson, was then a member of the Confederation, Congress in Session at New York— Richard. Henry Lee 439of Virginia, being then President of Congress, in whose house, I passed several weeks, as a Member, of his family and where I frequently met Col Grayson. My testimony, was not, to the special merits of the claim, but to those of him, whose Heirs, are now the Claimants— The Committee rose, without coming, to any decision, and the House adjourned over to Tuesday— Mr. Healey and M. Dubourjal, paid us evening visits—