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Adams, John Quincy. Personal Diary. Adams Family Papers.
Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston, Mass.
Washington. Monday. 1 March 1841
I. V. Monday.
Leavy John
Mrs. Mary Barney
Barney
Mrs. Davis Hoffman
Mayor of Baltimore
John Leavy was to have gone with the morning cars to Baltimore, but was by a few
minutes belated, and went in the afternoon--He left in deposit with me 160 dollars
80 cents in gold for which I gave him a receipt and a promise to pay that sum to
his order as demanded--I went and delivered at the orphans court the inventory and
appraisement made by Jeremiah Pendergast and Thomas Dumphy of the goods and effects
of Jeremy Leavy on Saturday Evening--Thence I went to the Supreme Court and concluded
my argument in the case of the Amistad captives--I spoke about four hours and then
closed somewhat abruptly; leaving almost entirely untouched the review of the case
of the Antelope, which I had intended and for which I was prepared--It would have
required at least an hour, and I had barely reached it when the usual time of the
Court’s adjournment came.--I was unwilling to encroach upon the time of the Court
for half of a third day, so that I cramped into a very brief summary what I had to
say upon that case, and finished with a very short personal address to the Court.
They immediately adjourned, and went into the hall of the House of Representatives--They
had not yet reassembled after the recess--But Mr. William L. Stone, Editor of the
Commercial Advertiser of New York came to apologize to me for two heavy letters addressed
to him from New Orleans, under cover to me at this place, for my frank--I put them
into the Post-Office without franking them, and Mr. Stone had to pay the postage
for them. He came to me to say that he had spoken to me of certain manuscript public
documents for which he had desired the privilege of my frank--instead of which his
correspondent had written him letters. Mr. Blunt came very abruptly to my seat--said
he was sent here by Mr. Charles King, who was anxiously desirous of obtaining the
office of Postmaster at New York, and wished me to use my influence in his favour.
I told him I had no influence to use in favour of any one; and that I had no right
to recommend any one. "But consider," said he, "that he threw himself
into the breach for you." "--Not at all,"- -I replied, "and you
may tell Charles King that I consider myself under anything but obligation to him."--"Oh!
I only meant to say."--I stopped him short and said I would hold no further
conversations with him on the subject--left my seat and came home to dinner--Returned
after dinner, and Elizabeth C. Adams went to Judge Cranch’s. W. Cost Johnson attempted
to get up a bill from the Senate to recharter the District Bank, which failed and
the House adjourned at 8. In the Senate, Linn's attack on Webster--at Judge [Cranch’s]
home with Elizabeth, Mrs. Barney and her stepson, Mr. Mayer and Mrs. D. Hoffman.
Report of my speech.
