adams-john10 Neal Millikan
840
22. VI:30. Thursday.— Overton
Carr the door keeper of the House of Representatives, died
last Monday Night— He had attended in the House last Saturday, but has
been many moths in decline. Mercer offered a Resolution that the House would adjourn
at 4. O’Clock to attend his funeral, and that his compensation as
door-keeper should be paid to his widow till
the end of the present Session of Congress, which passed without
opposition— Petitions on the subject of the Cilley duel, were presented, by
Fairfield, Evans, and Davee of Maine, Williams of New-Hampshire, Paynter, Henry and
Davis of Pennsylvania, and
Morris of Ohio. Not one from
a Slave holding State— W. Cost
Johnson closed his Speech upon the public Lands and
Schools, and Lawler of Alabama took
the floor to answer him, but postponed his speech for the orders of the
day— The Civil list Bill in Committee of the whole on the Union.
Halstead replied,
apologetically to Governor
Lincoln, complaining of the harshness of Lincoln’s
animadversions upon him—wholly unexpected he said, from that quarter.—
Halstead took no notice of Bynum’s
violent attack upon him yesterday, and Boon of Indiana gave him this day the Jackass’s kick;
which he received without return— Lincoln replied with great moderation,
and something of a compunctious visiting for his severity yesterday.
Halstead had alluded yesterday to R. M.
Johnson the Vice-President’s swarthy wife and dingy children, in a
manner which he thought witty, but which provoked Bynum and Boon beyond
all measure; and they Savage like, took their revenge.— Mercer with much
address moved an amendment to Halstead’s proposed amendment so as to
strike out the 4000 dollars for the jet d’eau, but to leave it under a
more general appropriation for improving 841the
grounds according to the plan adopted by the last Congress.— This was
rejecting Halstead’s amendment by seeming to adopt it.— Mallory read a Letter from Captain Dallas of the Navy, with
an explanation relating to some charge, which Mallory had made in his
place against Dallas, and calling upon him to retract it— Mallory said
the explanation was not satisfactory, and that he could not retract the
charge— Bell renewed his motion to
reduce the Salaries of Executive Officers 25 per Cent— Cushman raised upon it the point of
Order—the Chairman decided it was
not in order— Bell appealed, and the decision of the chair was
sustained— Bell then moved to reduce 25 per Cent the appropriations for
the pay and mileage of the members, and for the Officers of the
House—rejected— The Committee rose and reported the Bill with
amendments, and at 4 O’Clock the Speaker declared the House adjourned— I
went over to Mr Carr’s house, and heard the
episcopal funeral service performed over his remains, by a Clergyman
whom I did not know— Part of it was omitted which he said would be
performed at the grave. The Speaker, Polk, Lewis Williams and C. F. Mercer were the only members of
the house whom I saw there— The other attendance was numerous— Thence I
came home; and in the Evening we attended at Dr Laurie’s Church
Mr
Buckingham’s second Lecture on Palestine— J. Q. Adams the Midshipman taking the
place of the two
children
