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Adams. John Quincy. Personal Diary. Adams Family Papers. Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston, Mass.
Washington. Saturday. 12 December 1840
12. V. Saturday
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.
This 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 fraternal
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 congregessional 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 of 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 President's annual Message. But the lists are imperfect
till the meeting of the Massachusetts Legislature shall ascertain the senators for
the counties of Plymouth and Norfolk, and the Representatives from the 24 towns of
the 12 Congregational districts.
I thought it necessary to look into this 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 specially 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 define and expose the abominable conspiracy of 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 excape the imminant danger of giving the adversary the advantage
by overheated zeal. Of all the dangers before me, that of losing my self possession
is the most formidable--I am yet inable 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.
