A website from the Massachusetts Historical Society; founded 1791.

Diary of Charles Francis Adams, 1863

Wednesday 9th

9 December 1863

Friday 11th

11 December 1863
10 December 1863
518
Thursday 10th
St Leonard’s—London
CFA AM

The morning proved clear and fine, so that we made all our arrangements with great facility and at noon took leave of our pleasant house and of the place. Although the season has not been particularly favorable, the recollection of the two months remains uniformly sunny. I have not fully analyzed the cause of the difference in the feelings created in the respective places of abode, but that they are palpably opposite is undeniable. No sooner had I reached my room than I found myself pressed on all sides with cares and anxieties. The most immediate was the receipt of a report of my speech of the 26th ulto, from Mr Walker, which appears not to have been taken from my revised copy printed in the Times, but from the notes of another reporter. It was sent for my correction, by the intervention of the secretaries, which was lucky. I found it needed a prodigious deal of alteration. What Mr Walker’s notion could have been it is difficult to explain. The Times took no notice of his speech, whilst it printed mine. This is easily explained without any reference to the merits of the parties or their composition. It is my official position that gives interest here to whatever I may say. Mr Walker however may not choose to appreciate that. He certainly would have gone on to publish his pamphlet to suit himself had not others intervened. Besides this there was a quantity of public business that needed attention, which kept me busy until a late hour.

Cite web page as:

Charles Francis Adams, Sr., [date of entry], diary, in Charles Francis Adams, Sr.: The Civil War Diaries (Unverified Transcriptions). Boston: Massachusetts Historical Society, 2015. http://www.masshist.org/publications/cfa-civil-war/view?id=DCA63d344