[Boston—Wednesday, 8 November 1865]
Wed. Nov. 8. Henry Ward Beecher and Governor Parsons of Alabama lunched here, also Miss Charlotte Dana, who dropped in accidentally. The Governor has sad stories to tell us of the suffering and destitution of the South and especially of his state. He has seen cities laid waste and burned to the ground with books & pictures and every precious relic homes can contain. In Sherman march the town of Selma 40 miles south of his residence was burned in that way and the destitution of the sufferers was terrible to behold. We know nothing of the horrors of war in New England he says and when I look in his face and hear the pathetic stories he has to tell us, I am led almost to think so. He is a very sad man. He comes here for the purpose of urging Massachusetts to forgiveness and to send help to the suffering. Mr Beecher’s kind heart is so moved upon the subject that he appears to be devoting his time and strength to aid in this endeavor. They went to the Club last night where Governor Andrew introduced the subject and Charles Sumner spoke against it. Alas! for the hardness of human hearts. Mr Beecher says Mr Sumner is an idealist and a useful man therefore in his way but he does not see what is needed in this crisis. Gov. P. has a negro slave whom he purchased thirty years ago as his body-servant. When there were no more slaves he paid him regular wages. Then other people came and offered much higher wages than he was able to pay but the old servant said no, Massa Parsons lubs me and I lub him and we shan’t separate now.
Mr Beecher was affectionate and noble as ever. In the evening Mr Bogart and his two nice healthy enthousiastic simple daughters and the Marquis de Chambrun. Mr Bogart has been a journalist in New York for many years and knows Thurlow Weed well, and the political meaning & tendencies of affairs in his state. He says Manton Marble, a young man of very little principle as we know of old but considerable ability is the most powerful journalist in New York State at present. He says Greeley (The Tribune) thinks he is a philosopher but he isnt and has therefore lost the confidence of people, Raymond (The Times) is a man devoid of principle, has no friends but political ambition and is in the Senate. Bennet (The Herald) has money & popularity but desires social distinction which he can’t get. And Marble (the World) is ambitious as a journalist & succeeds.
