A number of days
have passed since I opened this book. On Friday, 25th, we had a pleasant
Cabinet-meeting. Speed read an elaborate opinion on the authority of judges in
the State of Mississippi. The President dissented wholly from some of his
positions. Provisional Governor Sharkey wanted the judges appointed by him
should have authority to enforce the habeas corpus. Speed thought they were not
legally empowered to exercise judicial functions. The President thought they
were. Read from his proclamation establishing a provisional government in
Mississippi and said he had drawn that part of the proclamation himself and
with special reference to this very question. I inquired whether the habeas
corpus privilege was not suspended in that State so that no judge whatever
could issue the writ.
A telegram from
General Carleton in New Mexico gives a melancholy account of affairs in Mexico.
The republican government has met with reverses, and the President, Juarez, is
on our borders, fleeing to our country for protection. Seward is in trouble;
all of us are, in fact. Many of the army officers are chafing to make war on
the imperial government and drive the French from that country. They are
regardless of the exhausted state of our affairs.
