7.45 P.M. As I came up to the house I found there was no light in his room—and sure enough, as I found from Warren, he was lying down. Had not been out today. Said he felt "so-so"—and no more.
Remarked at once his "interest" in the fact that the fair was given by Congress to Chicago. "I wonder if that is irrevocable? I suppose so." And then laughingly, "I wonder what the New York Herald says of it?" Then went on to speak of the Crystal Palace "long ago". [This was a building at the New York World's Fair of 1853, which was destroyed by fire in 1856.] "I found it a mine: what I delved for and found there—who can tell? It was a wonder of [?] thing, beaming, joining, grooving—a delicate, sufficient mechanical wonder. I contemplated it often on that side with the greatest joy: it so filled and surrounded me. And yet when it burned it all went up in a puff."—"Not least of things there were great art-products sent from abroad—fabulous in material value—great in values of any sort."
Referred to the electoral college as "a remnant of aristocracy—a reminder of an old distrust of the people."