sti ruitis.........

It is maddening to witness for so many months the reckless waste of
men, of time, of money, and of material means, and all this
squandered by governmental and administrative helplessness and
conceit. In the military part, notwithstanding Stanton's devotion
and efforts, that Halleck, _excrementum Scotti_, as by appointment,
carries out everything contrary to common sense, to well established
and experienced (Halleck and experience, ah!... military practice,
and Mr. Lincoln is as perfectly) charmed by it, as is the innocent
bird by the snake.

And thus the sacrifices and the blood of the people run out as does
the mighty Rhine--they run out in sand. O, Lincoln-Seward's domestic
policy. O, Lincoln-Halleck's war power! You make one shudder as with
a death pang.

_January 9._--The worshippers of slavery, that is, the Democrats, of
the Seymour's, Wood's, and the _World's_ church, call the war waged
for the defence of human rights, for civilization and for
maintaining the genuine rational self-government, they call it an
unholy war. In some respects the Copperheads are right. The holy war
loses its holiness in the hands of Lincoln, Seward, Halleck, and
their disciples and followers, because those leaders violate all the
laws of logic and of reason, this holy of holies. At times I would
prefer peace than see devoted men so recklessly murdered by such....

A critique of the first volume of the "Diary" asserts that all my
statements are made after the events occurred, _ex post_. To a very
respectable General I showed a part of the original manuscript which
squared with the printed book. Often I am ashamed to find that the
bit of study and experience acquired by me goes so far when compared
with many around me, and in action. I foresee, because I have no
earthly personal views, no cares, nothing in the world to think of
or to aim at, no charms, no ties--only my heart, my ideas, my
convictions, and civilization is my worship. Nothing prevents me,
day and night, from concentrating whatever powers and reading I can
have in one single focus. This cause, this people, this war, its
conduct, are the events amidst which I breathe. Uninterruptedly I
turn and return all that is in my mind--that is all. And I am proud
to have my heart in harmony with my head.

Almost every event has its undercurrent, and of ten the little
undercurrents pre-eminently shape the events themselves. The truth
of this axiom is illustrat