st be warned not to look to the newspapers
for information concerning facts and concerning the spirit of the
people. The _Tribune's_ senile clamor for peace, for arbitration,
for meditation, its Jewitt, Mercier, Napoleon, and Switzerland
combinations, fell dead and in ridicule before the sound judgment of
ninety-nine hundredths of the people.

_February 24._--In Europe I had experience of political prisons and
of their horror. But I would prefer to rot, to be eaten up by rats,
rather than be defended by such arch-copperheads as are the Coxes,
the Biddles, the Powells, etc., etc.

In the discussion concerning the issue of the letters of marque,
Sumner was dwelling in sentimentalities and generalities, altogether
losing sight of the means of defense of the country, and the genuine
national resources. With all respect for high and sentimental
principles and patriotism, with due reverence of the opinion, the
applause or the condemnatory verdict to be issued by philanthropists,
by doctors, and other Tommities, my heart and my brains prefer the
resolute, patriotic, manly Grimes, Wades, etc., the various _skippers_
and masters, all of whom look not over the ocean for applause, but
above all have in view to save or to defend the country, whatever be
the rules or expectations of the self-constituted Doctors of
International laws.

_February 25._--The Union-Slavery saviours, led on by the _Herald_,
by Seward, by Weed, etc., all are busily at work.

_Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from
us._

I hear that great disorder prevails in the Quartermaster's Department.
It is no wonder. In all armies, countries, government and wars, the
Quartermaster's Department is always disorderly. Why shall it not be
so here, when want of energy is the word? At times Napoleon hung or
shot such infamous thieves, as by their thefts skinned and destroyed
the soldiers and the army; at times in Russia, such curses are sent to
Siberia. But as yet, I have not heard that any body was hurt here,
with the exception of the treasury of the country, and of the
soldiers. The chain-gang of those quartermaster's thieves,
contractors, jobbers and lobbyists must be strong, very long, and
composed of all kind of influential and not-influential vampyres.
Somebody told me, perhaps in joke, that all of them constitute a kind
of free-masonry, and have signs of recognition. After all, that may be
true. Impudence, brazen brow, and blank cons