s
and of all other public affairs, O respectable soul and spiritless
body of honest Conservatives! Historians of this country! collect
the names of the _honest_ Conservatives, but expose them not to the
abomination of coming generations.

_February 7._--The Sanitary Commission, with all its branches and
subdivisions, is among the noblest manifestations of what can be
done by a free people, and how private enterprise of intelligent,
patriotic and unselfish men can confer benefit. Nor must the praise
of that great work be limited to men. Warm-hearted gentlewomen also
have done their share in it. The Sanitary Commission is one of the
best out-croppings of self-government, and does honor to the people,
and softens and ameliorates the warlike roughness of the times.

The Sanitary Commission marks a new era in the history of genuine
and not bogus and merely verbal philanthropy, and its spontaneity
and expansion were only possible in free, and therefore humane and
enlightened America.

_February 8._--Mr. Seward is busily at work endeavoring to crush the
radicals, and to make the Emancipation Proclamation a mere sheet of
waste paper. All that is mean and nasty, all that is reeking and
foul with all kinds of corruptions, takes Seward for its
standard-bearer. The so-called radical press aids Seward with all
its might.

_February 9._--Gen. Casey adopts some of my ideas and suggestions,
which I discussed with him. Gen. Casey is honestly at work, and the
new tactics will be in print.

Stanton would wish to establish a thorough military camp on a large
scale, for organizing Africo-Americans. But the higher powers are
against it. Virginia, the most populous slave state, the nursery of
slaves, must, scorpion-like, be surrounded with glowing contraband
camps. What a splendid position for such a camp is Harper's Ferry
under the shadow of immortal John Brown!

A few days ago, Mr. Lincoln was full of joy because the defences of
Washington are in excellent condition. Thus the country will learn
with joy that the----spade is still at work, that the military curse
hurled by Scott and McClellan is still influencing the operation of
the war, that Halleck is the worthy continuator of his predecessors,
that Mr. Lincoln's fears and uneasiness about the fate of the city
of Washington are slowly, slowly assuaged, that the President's
fancy is nursed, that the construction of the extensive
fortifications around the capital is still continued