John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

572 Washington Friday 15. May 1846—

15. V—

My call at Mr. Bancroft’s last evening, was occasioned, by a poor insane man named William Winthrop Allen, who had me called out from my seat in the House yesterday morning and inquired, if I had received two or three months since, a Letter from him, with a Memorial, claiming the sum of thirty thousand dollars, as due from the United States to him. I did not recollect having received such a Memorial but inquired upon what ground he made this claim— He then told me a wild incoherent story, of a conspiracy against his life carried on for a series of years, as indemnity for which, he had applied to the Legislature of Massachusetts, which had refused to do him justice, and thereby gave him this claim upon the United States, whose duty it was to indemnify him by compelling the Legislature of Massachusetts to do him justice. I enquired how he came here, and drew from him the acknowledgment, that he had been placed by his friends in the Alms House, of the Town of Medfield, though he was a preacher of the Gospel, and a Teacher of School— That from the keepers of the Alms House, he had obtained a permission to go to Boston, and had availed himself of that opportunity to come here to prosecute his claim— I assured him, that he could obtain nothing by a memorial to Congress, and advised him to return 573immediately home— He thanked me for my advice and appeared well disposed to follow it—but he said he would call tomorrow, on Mr. Bancroft, who had been his Classmate, at Harvard University. Immediately after he left me at the House I spoke of him to Mr. Winthrop, and called at Mr. Bancrofts in the evening to notify him, of the visit he would receive from this poor man tomorrow. I proposed, that we should consult together upon the means, of prevailing upon him to return to Medfield— He is perfectly harmless, and eminently deserving of compassion— At the House, Columbus Delano asked leave to make a personal explanation, but objection was made and persisted in, till after moving a suspension of the rules, he withdrew his motion and gave it up. McKay moved to go into Committee of the whole on the state of the Union on the Army Appropriation Bill, John. R. Daniel of North Carolina moved to take up the Private Callender, which was carried— A Bill for the Heirs of Capt Larkin Smith, reported by the Committee of the whole for rejection, was rejected— Barkly Martin of Tennessee moved again the suspension of the rules to allow Mr. Delano to make his explanation which was carried— Delano complained, that his Colleague Thurman had misrepresented him, by charging him with having said, that the War with Mexico, was a “damnable War.” Thurman replied, and the debate fell into a mere question about the use of particular words, and ended in nothing. Then came up again, a Bill for the allowance, of the usual Bounty of the Fishing Schooner Tancred, lost at Sea, which was specially opposed by Daniel of North Carolina, and on the engrossment of which the vote was 82 to 80. Daniel then moved, a call of the House, which was refused and the Bill was passed 85 to 82, Committee of the whole on Private Bills again. Solomon Foot of Vermont in the Chair. Among the Bills taken up was one for the relief of Thomas Ap Catesby 574Jones, for certain expenses, for services of a diplomatic character at the Sandwich and Otaheite Islands— Garrett Davis, from the Committee on Foreign Affairs, moved an Amendment, authorizing the Secretary of State under the direction of the President to settle and adjust the claims of Benjamin. E. Green for compensation as Chargé d’Affairs at Mexico, and William. M. Blackford for the same Office at Venezuela— Upon which a desultory debate followed, till about half past three the Committee rose for lack of a quorum and the House adjourned—