ven to himself, and
quite certainly so to every one but himself. Perhaps, I say, Mr.
Mercier may have caught up some of them, and making them up at
hap-hazard into a _macedoine_, a hash, a hotch-potch, has served up
the second-hand and heterogeneous mess to his master in Paris. The
despatch expresses the fear of a servile war; this may very well
have been copied from Mr. Seward's despatch to Mr. Adams, (May,
1862,) wherein Seward attempted to frighten England by a prophecy of
a servile war in this country.

_Nov. 30._--Mr. Seward semi-officially and conveniently accepts the
French impudence. Computing the time and space, the scheme
corresponds with McClellan's inactivity after Antietam, and with the
raising of the banner of the Copperheads. I spoke of this before,
(see Diary for November and December, 1861, in Vol. I.) and
repeatedly warned Stanton.

_Nov. 30._--Mercier, the French diplomat, rapidly gravitates towards
the Copperheads--Democrats. Is he acting thus _in obedience to
orders_? After all, some of the diplomats here, and especially those
of what call themselves the "three great powers," almost openly
sympathize and side with secessionists, and patronize Copperheads,
traitors, and spies. The exceptions to this rule are but few;
strictly speaking, indeed, I should except only one young man. Some
diplomats justify this conduct on the plea that the Republican
Congressmen are "great bores," who will not play at cards, or dine
and drink copiously; accomplishments in which the Secesh was so
pre-eminent as to win his way to the inner depths of the diplomatic
heart. The people, I am sure, will heartily applaud those of its
representatives for thus incurring the contempt of dissipated
diplomats.

Some persons maintain that Stanton breaks down, perhaps that he
suffers, physically as well as mentally, from his necessitated
contact with his official colleagues and his and their persistent,
inevitable and inexorable hangers-on and supplicants. I do not
perceive the alleged failure of his health or powers, and I do not
believe it; but assuredly, it were no marvel if such really were the
case. It must be an adamantine constitution and temper that could
long bear with impunity the daily contact with a Lincoln, a Seward,
a Halleck, and others less noted, indeed, but not the less
contagious.

DECEMBER, 1862

President's Message -- Political position -- Fredericksburgh --
Fog -- Accident -- Crisis in the