unds with military spirit and simplicity. Grant has not to put
truth on the rack and throw dust into people's eyes. Three cheers
for McClellan! Grant has confidence in the volunteers; not so
McClellan, who had only confidence in shams. Grant and his army, at
the best, were the second sons of the Administration--not of the
people; to the last day McClellan was the pet, the spoiled child,
and as such he disgraced his parents, tutors, etc., and ruined his
parent's house.

_August 15._--A letter published by the Honorable W. Whiting, (who
is now traveling,) occasions much noise. The letter is pointed and
keen, but the writer knows mighty little about international laws.
Almost _a priori_ he recognizes in the rebels, as he says, "only the
rights of belligerents." Only the rights of belligerents! Such
rights are very ample, and for this reason they belong in their
plenitude exclusively to absolutely independent nations. To
recognize _a priori_ such rights in the rebels, is equivalent to
recognizing them as an independent nation. In pure and absolute
principle of modern (not Roman) _jus gentium_, rebels have not only
no belligerent rights, but not any rights at all. Rebels are _ipso
facto_ outlaws in full. Writers like Abbe Galiano, Vatel, etc., for
the sake of humanity and expediency, recommend to the lawful
sovereign to use mercy, to treat rebels _in parte_ as belligerents,
and not as _a priori_ condemned criminals.

_August 16: L. B._--Seward is to promenade the diplomats over the
country. He is Barnum, the diplomats are the menagerie. Poor Lord
Lyons. Very probably it is Seward's last rocket to draw upon himself
the attention of the people.

_August 16. L. B._--The probabilities of a rupture with France are
upon the public mind. I still misbelieve it. I have not the
slightest doubt that the _Decembriseur_ is full of treachery towards
the North, and that his Imperialist lackeys blow brimstone against
the Northern principles. But are the French people so debased as to
submit? We shall see. Let that crowned conspirator begin a war of
treason against the North. Before long the French people will put an
end to the war and to the Decembriseur.

_August 16. L. B._--I learn that Watson has very gravely injured his
health by labor, that is, by being the most faithful servant of the
country and of its cause. I never, anywhere in my life, met a public
officer so undaunted at his duties, so unassuming, so quiet as
Watson, in his