Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-09-20
JOHN QUINCY INTEREST
ING INCIDENTS.
From the 7th volume Of the Diary of John
0ninnu Ad.ms by llha rla: Era ncis 4 aan,s.

Qulccy Adams, by Charles Francis Adams:
Mr.. Adams was often annoyed by the details
of etiquette incident to his ufhclal position,
and did not fail to manifest his WEAKNESS 10
the records Of bis journal. On one accession he
was Invited 10 attend cattle show 10 the
neighborhood Of Baltimore After some hesi-
tation be decided not to accept. He expresses
his disgust with the whole affair 10 explicit
terms: ut is apparent that the Society wish
to make the President of the UGited States a
part of their exhibition. 10 crafty this WISH
must give four days of my time, no trife of
expense, and set precedeut for being claimed
as an article of exhibition at all the cattle shows
throughout the Union. From cat,e-snows to
other public meetings for purposes of utility or
exposures of public sentiment, the transition
Is Datural aod easy. Invitations 10 them would
multiply from week to week, and every
comp lance would breed the necessity for
numerous excuses and spol>eies. Finally,
this is DO part of my duties, and some
duty must be n'g ected to attend TO it
Sc ct thou man diligente 10 his b,s
ness! . Soon after his entrance upon the
presidency, be makes the following entry: En-
terlog upon new course Of life, momeDtous
no, alone to myself, and specially responsible to
God, to my country and TO mankind, have in-
leuscly felt my obligation to devote all my
time aud all my faculties to the discharge of
. my duties. To this end have endeavored to
make regular distribution OF time-which I
have been, howeVC!, enabled but very imper-
fec.y to execute. The ordinary day during the
month has been generally like that of April
My rising hour between four and six. But the
bathing season has come, and the heat OF Sun
mer, which renders 1t necessary to traospose
my hours Of exercise from the atternoD, before
dinner, to the morning, before breakfast This
have done for the last three days, taking two
morning hours for bathing and swimming iu
the Potomac. My diary has been more stead
lily Kept up, yet not without negligent Interrupt
ton. lncessant and dlStraciingy various occu
patton continue TO il the space between
breakfast and dinner, aud most OF the evenings
arc wasted 10 ldleuess or at the billiard. table, a
resource both for exercise and amusement" !"
His love OF the water was DOT without occl-
sonal danger. Here is description of one of
bis adventures in that kind:
Il attempted to cross the river with Antoine
10 small canoe, with view TO swim across it
to come back. He took boat n which, we
had crossed it last Summer without accidcnt
The boat was at the shore near Van Ness's pop-
lars; but 10 crossing the Tiber to that point my
SOD John, who Was with Us, thought the boat
dangerous, and, instead Of going With us, went
In midway of the river as we should be re-
turning. l thought the boat safe enough, or
rather persisted carelessly 10 going without
paying due attention to its condition. gave
my watch to my son; made a bundle
OF my coat aud wais;coat to take in the
boat with me; put off my shoes, aud was pad
died by Autonle, who had stripped himself en-
tIrey naked. Before we bad got half across
the river the boat had leaked itself half full,
and then We found there Was nothing on board
to scoop up the water and throw it over. Just
at that critical moment fresh breeze from the
northwest blew down the river as from the nose
OF a bellows. In FIVE minutes time it made q
little tempest, and set the boat to dancing till
the river came in at the sides. dumped over.
board and Antoine did the same, and lost hold
OF tho boat, which filled with water and drifted
away. We were as near as possible to the
middle OF the river, AMI swan to the opposite
shore. Antoine, who was naked, reached it
with little difficulty. [ had much more, aud,
while struggling for Lille and gaspiDg for
breath, had had ample leisure to reflect upon
my own discretion. My principal difficulty was
ID the loose sleeves OF my SHIRT, which filled
With water and hung like two 56-pouod weights
upon my arms. had also my hat, which l
soon gave, however, to Antoine After reach.
log the shore [ took off my shirt aud pana-
loons wrung them out, aud gave them to An
tome to 90 and look out for our clothes, or for
person to seud to the house for others, and
tor the carriage to come aud fetch ne. Soon
after he had gone my son Joho Joined me, hav-
Ing swum wholly across the river, expecting to
meet US returning with the boat. Antoine
crossed the bridge, sent man to my house for
the carriage, made some search for the drifted
boat and bundles, and found his own hat with
his shirt aud braces in it, and Que of my shoes.
He also brought over the bridge my SON.
clothes, with my watch and umbrella, which |
bad left with him.
while Antoine was gone John and we're
Wadlng aud swimming up aud down on the
other shore, or sitting naked. basking on the
bank at the margiu OF the river John walked
over the bridge home. The carriage came.
asd took me aud Antoine home, half dressed.
l lost an old summer coat, white waistcoat, two
napkins, two white handkerchiets, and one
shoe. Antoine lost his watch, JACKET, waist
coat, pantaloons, and shoes. The boat was al
so lost By the mercy of God our lives were
spared, and no injury befel our persons. We
reached home about quarter before moe, hav-
log been out nearly five hours. | had been
about three hours 10 the water, but suffered
DO inconvenience from it. This incident gave
''eelo6 fCSoOu duU SOlcluu WdTuiuk
not to trlHe with danger. The reasons upon
which | justify to myself my daily swimming
10 the river did not apply to this adventure. It
Is neither necessary for my health, nor even
Tor pleasure. that should swim across the riv-
er' aud, having once sWum across it, | could
not not even want 1t as an experiment of practical
o,li,y. Among my motives for swimming that
ol showing what can do must be discarded as
spurious, and | must strictly confoe myself to
ine purposes of health, exercise, and saIutary
o.;v Vo the 9th Of July, 1926, Mr.. Adams re-
nrotal rameI notice OF the dangerous sickness and
probably impending death of bis father, anl
n; nc az once decided to proceed as speedily AZ
EiusnoIe iOSn.e to Quincy. The suddenoess Of the iu
b.fosa was a great shock. A few weeks
his fs,.t IL had been ANNOUNCED that although
N'uef seemed to be declining there was no