ington, and upon those
counterfeit penates.

_June 8._--What for--for heaven's or devil's sake--Hooker throws a
division of cavalry across the Rappahannock, right in the dragon's
jaw! All the rebel army is on the other side, and this, our
division, can never be decidedly supported. It cannot be a
_reconnaissance_--of what? It cannot be a stratagem to surprise Lee.
If Lee wants to march anywhere north or west, this demonstration of
Hooker's will not for a minute arrest Lee.

_June 9._--The great Henry Ward Beecher emigrates for a time to
Europe. His parish richly supports him for the trip, and the
preacher sells his choice, and as it is said, beloved picture
gallery. It is not for want of money. Strange! What a curious
manifestation of patriotism!

_June 10._--The demonstration over the Rappahannock turned out to be
a slaughter of the cavalry. What! Was Hooker again stunned, to make
such a deliberate mistake--nay, crime? Such a demonstration never
could prevent Stuart from moving, even if our troops had defeated or
worried him--even if victorious, our cavalry would have been forced
to recross the Rappahannock, and Stuart, having behind him Lee's
whole army, which could easily reinforce him, would then move again.
Our force of nine thousand men, distant from support, attack a
superior force of fifteen thousand, who besides have within
supporting distance a whole army! This demonstration prevents
nothing, decides nothing, beyond the worst, the most damnable
generalship. General Hooker and his chief-of-staff are personally
responsible for every soldier lost there.

_June 11._--Again visitings to the army. Senators, ladies, magnifico
Chase leading on. O, if the guerrillas could sweep them!

_June 12._--Crippled men are to be met in all directions, on all the
streets. One-third of the amputated limbs undoubtedly could have
been saved by the Medical Department, were it in better hands, and
above all, if surgeons had been called in from Europe--the domestic
surgeons not being sufficient for the demand.

_June 13._--The principle of election, the only true one, a principle
recognized and asserted as well by antiquity as by the primitive
Church, recognized by rationalists, by Fourier, by radical, or any
democracy whatever--that principle must undergo an immense improvement
before it shall act in all its perfection. The elector must be
altogether self-governing, and not governed or influenced by anybody
in his choice and