was still in Europe his brother writes to him on December
29, 1857:--

"I don't know what you must think of me for not having written to you
since my return. It has not been for want of will but truly from the
impossibility of withdrawing myself from an unprecedented pressure of
more important duties, on which to _write_ so that you could form any
clear idea of them would be impossible. These duties arise from the state
of my affairs thrown into confusion by the conduct of parties intent on
controlling all my property. But, I am happy to state, my affairs are in
a way of adjustment through the active exertions of my faithful agent and
friend, Mr. Kendall, so far as his declining strength permits.... I wish
you were near me so that we could exchange views on many subjects,
particularly on the one which so largely occupies public attention
everywhere. I have been collecting works pro and con on the Slavery
question with a view of writing upon it. We are in perfect accord, I
think, on that subject. I believe that you and I would be considered in
New England as rank heretics, for, I confess, the more I study the
subject the more I feel compelled to declare myself on the Southern side
of the question.

"I care not for the judgment of men, however; I feel on sure ground while
standing on Bible doctrine, and I have arrived at the conclusion that a
fearful hallucination, not less absurd than that which beclouded some of
the most pious and otherwise intelligent minds of the days of Salem
witchcraft, has for a time darkened the moral atmosphere of the North."

The event has seemed to prove that it was the Southern sympathizers at
the North, those "most pious and otherwise intelligent minds," whose
moral atmosphere was darkened by a "fearful hallucination," for no one
now claims that slavery is a divine institution because the Bible says,
"Slaves, obey your masters."

I have stated that one of the purposes of Morse's visit to Europe in 1856
was to seek to persuade the various Governments which were using his
telegraph to grant him some pecuniary remuneration. The idea was received
favorably at the different courts, and resulted in a concerted movement
initiated by the Count Walewski, representing France, and participated in
by ten of the European nations. The sittings of this convention, or
congress, were held in Paris from April, 1868, to the latter part of
August, and the result is announced in a letter of Count Walewski to