<​2.​> and at half past 10 I repaired to the Senate lobby. and had conversation with Several Gentlemen, dined at the “american House”, As we rose from table Judge [Henry] Brown invited me to his room & informed me he was about publishing a history of . & wished me to furnish a history of the rise & progress of the to add to it. 1½ P.M. returnd to . A gentleman from told that “the General imp[r]ession was that Smith was innocent & it would be a kind of murder to give him up; that he ought to be whipped a little & let go.” It was evident that prejudi[c]e was giving way in the public mind. At 4. . , the Marshall, and some 1/2 a Doz[en] others called to see me. The said it was the first Time during his administration, that the Ladies had attended court on a trial, A peculiarly pleasant & conciliatory feeling prevailed in the company. And invited me to a family dinner when I should be freed. At 5 went to Mr Sollars, with & . enquired the situation of the Negro. I replid they come into the world slaves, mentally & physically. Change their situation with the whites, & they would be like them. They have souls & are subjects of Salvation. Go into . or any city, and find an educated negro. who rides in his carriage, and you will see a being <​man​> who has risen by the powers of his own mind to his exalted state of respectability. The slaves in are more refined than the presidents, & the black boys will take the shine off of those they brush & wait on. remarked “put them on the level & they will rise above me”. I replied if I raised you to be my Equal and then attempted to oppress you, would you not be indigna[n]t And try to rise above me. There was <​as did​> , and many others, who said I was a fallen Prophet and they were capable of leading the people. Although I never attempted to oppress them, but had always been lifting them up. Had I any thing to do with the negro. I would confine them by strict law to their own species, & put them on a national Equalization.