o a
government in trouble the most sincere and the most cheering
official expressions of sympathy from his master; and with the same
hand the diplomat gives the heartiest shakes to the most unrelenting
enemies of the same government.

The Russian, skillful, shrewd and proud diplomacy, generally holds
an independent, almost an isolated position from England and from
France. The Russian diplomacy goes its own way, at times joined or
joining according to circumstances, but never, never following in
the wake of the two rival powers. During this our war, and doubtless
for the first time since Russian diplomacy has existed, a Russian
diplomat semi and non-officially, seemingly, limped after the
diplomats of England and of France. But such a diplomatic _mistake_
can not last long.

_April 2._--Official, lordish, Toryish England, plays treason and
infamy right and left. The English money lenders to rebels, the
genuine owners of rebel piratical ships, are anxious to destroy the
American commerce and to establish over the South an English
monopoly. All this because _odiunt dum metuant_ the Yankee. You
tories, you enemies of freedom, your time of reckoning will come,
and it will come at the hands of your own people. You fear the
example of America for your oppressions, for your rent-rolls.

_April 3._--The country ought to have had already about one hundred
thousand Africo-Americans, either under arms, in the field, or
drilling in camps. But to-day Lincoln has not yet brought together
more than ten to fifteen thousand in the field; and what is done, is
done rather, so to speak, by private enterprise than by the
Government. Mr. Lincoln hesitates, meditates, and shifts, instead of
going to work manfully, boldly, and decidedly. Every time an
Africo-American regiment is armed or created, Mr. Lincoln seems as
though making an effort, or making a gracious concession in
permitting the increase of our forces. It seems as if Mr. Lincoln
were ready to exhaust all the resources of the country before he
boldly strikes the Africo American vein. How differently the whole
affair should have been conducted!

_April 4._--Almost every day I hear very intelligent and patriotic
men wonder why every thing is going on so undecidedly, so
sluggishly; and all of them, in their despondency, dare not or will
not ascend to the cause. And when they finally see where the fault
lies, they are still more desponding.

Europe, that is, European statesmen,