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Adams, John Quincy. Personal Diary. Adams Family Papers.
Massachusetts Historical Society. Boston, Mass.
Hartford. Tuesday. 17 November 1840. New Haven.
17. IV:45. Tuesday
Hopkins of Buffalo
Curtis
Baldwin, Roger S.
Daggett
Edwards, H. L.
Ingersoll, A. S.
Ludlow, Revd.
Some others
At 1/2 past 5. A. M. I took the cars from Hartford to New Haven. My tavern bill at
Hartford had been paid. The night had been frosty and the morning was bitter cold.
But the sun rose bright and the whole day was fair. In the cars two passengers introduced
themselves to me. Mr. Hopkins of Buffalo New York, and Mr. Curtis, the sheriff of
the County of New Haven--I talked again too much. At 2 a.m. we arrived at New Haven,
and I took lodgings at the Tontine Hotel--Breakfast--immediately after.
Mr. Roger Sherman Baldwin called on me, and invited me to his office in his house,
whither I went with him. He read to me sundry papers, and gave me one containing
an argument drawn up by him--all relating to the Negro prisoners taken in the Amistad.
We had two hours of conversation upon the whole subject in which he exposed to me
his views of the case. The points which had been taken beyond the District and Circuit
Courts, and the motion to dismiss the appeal which he supposes the proper course
to be taken before the Superior Court. He read to me numerous authorities on the
several points which he proposes to urge at the trial, and said he hoped the Supreme
Court would take up the case in the final or second week of the session--I visited
the prisoners with Mr. Baldwin, Rev. Wilcox, the Marshal of the District, Mr Pendleton,
his deputy, and Keeper of the house when they are confined together. The three girls
are in a separate house, and I did not see them. They are, all but one, young men,
under 30, and of small stature--none over 5 feet 6. Negro face, fleace, and form,
but varying in shades of color from ebon black to dingy Brown--one or two of them
are almost mulatto bright. Cinque and Grabow, the two chief conspirators, have very
remarkable countenances.Three of them read to us part of a chapter in the English
New Testament--very indifferently--one boy writes a tolerable hand--Mr. Ludlow teaches
them; but huddled together as they are, and having no other person to talk with but
themselves their learning must be very slow.
I dined at Mr. Baldwin's with 8 or 10 others--Mrs. Baldwin is a daughter of old Roger
Sherman--Her mother and brother, Mr. Baldwin's father, Chauncey Goodrich and Mr.
Ludlow were of the company. President Day, Professor Kingsley and Professor Silliman
came in after dinner. I walked with Professor Silliman to his house to tea--his wife,
son, 3 daughters--one married. Col. John Trumbull this day from New York--born in
1756--very unwell--said he was done up--worn out. With Mr. Silliman I visited Mrs.
Gerry--her 4 daughters--Went with Mr. White to Mr. Ludlow's Church. Delivered the
lecture on Society and civilization. Full house. Attention--Applause. Home to my
lodgings at 9 P. M.
