Perleys Reminiscences, v. 1-2 | Page 7

well as
of her native city of New York, had continued these evening "levees,"
and Mrs. Adams, in turn, not only kept up the custom, but improved the
quality of the refreshments, which were handed around on waiters by
servants.
Mr. Adams used to rise between four and six o'clock, according to the
season, and either take a ride on horseback or walk to the Potomac
River, where he bathed, remaining in the water for an hour or more in
the summer. Returning to the White House, he read two chapters of the
Bible and then glanced over the morning papers until nine, when he
breakfasted. From ten until four he remained in the Executive Office,
presiding over Cabinet meetings, receiving visitors, or considering

questions of state. Then, after a long walk, or a short ride on horseback,
he would sit down to dine at half-past five, and after dinner resume his
public duties.
On one occasion Mr. Adams imperiled his life by attempting to cross
the Potomac in a small boat, accompanied by his son John and by his
steward, Michael Antoine Ginsta, who had entered his service at
Amsterdam in 1814. Intending to swim back, they had taken off nearly
all of their clothes, which were in the boat. When about half-way across,
a gust of wind came sweeping down the Potomac, the boat filled with
water, and they were forced to abandon it and swim for their lives to
the Virginia Shore. By taking what garments each one had on, Antoine
managed to clothe himself decently, and started across the bridge to
Washington. During his absence, Mr. Adams and his son swam in the
river, or walked to and fro on the shore. At last, after they had been
about three hours undressed, Antoine made his appearance with a
carriage and clothing, so they were able to return to Washington. Mr.
Adams purchased that day a watch, which he gave Antoine to replace
one which he had lost in the boat and alluded to the adventure in his
journal that night as "a humiliating lesson and a solemn warning not to
trifle with danger." A few weeks later a Revolutionary veteran named
Shoemaker, went in to bathe at Mr. Adams' favorite spot, the
Sycamores, was seized with cramp, and was drowned. The body was
not recovered until the next morning while Mr. Adams was in the water;
but the incident did not deter him from taking his solitary morning
baths, which he regarded as indispensable to health. Mr. Adams took
great interest in arboriculture, and was a constant reader of Evelyn. He
had planted in the grounds of the White House the acorns of the
cork-oak, black walnuts, peach, plum, and cherry stones, apple and pear
seeds, and he watched their germination and growth with great interest.
A botanic garden was established under his patronage, and naval
officers were instructed to bring home for distribution the seeds of such
grains and vegetables as it might seem desirable to naturalize. The
seeds thus collected were carefully distributed through members of
Congress, and several important varieties of vegetables were thus
introduced. Down to the present day the yearly distribution of seeds to
rural communities is an important item of Congressional duty.

Henry Clay was the premier and the most important member of Mr.
Adams' cabinet. He evidently regarded the Department of State as a
stepping-stone to the Executive Mansion, and hoped that he would be
in time promoted, as Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and John Quincy
Adams. The foreign policy of the Administration, which encouraged
the appointment of a Minister to represent the United States in the
Congress of American Republics at Panama, although in accordance
with the "Monroe Doctrine," was denounced as Federalism. Mr. Clay,
who had never been a Federalist, did not wish to be regarded as a
restorer of the old Federal party, and he accordingly began to create the
Whig party, of which he naturally became the leader.
Mr. Clay made a good Secretary of State, but his place was in Congress,
for he was formed by nature for a popular orator. He was tall and thin,
with a rather small head, and gray eyes, which peered forth less
luminously than would have been expected in one possessing such
eminent control of language. His nose was straight, his upper lip long,
and his under jaw light. His mouth, of generous width, straight when he
was silent, and curving upward at the corners as he spoke or smiled,
was singularly graceful, indicating more than any other feature the
elastic play of his mind. When he enchained large audiences, his
features were lighted up by a winning smile, the gestures of his long
arms were graceful, and the gentle accents of his mellow voice were
persuasive and winning. Yet there