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Diary of Charles Francis Adams, 1862

Monday 7th

7 April 1862

Wednesday 9th

9 April 1862
8 April 1862
68
Friday 8th
Paris
CFA AM

Before I was dressed came in a note from Mrs Bigelow asking us to come in the evening, and then Mr Senior in person to invite me to breakfast. This was owing to my meeting at the Theatre last evening with Madam Mobel and Miss Senior. I accepted both. Mr Senior is stopping at the Bedford Hotel, and there I met with Mr Dayton, Mr Droueyn de l’Huis, M de Circourt and M de Kergolay. These three are of the most distinguished class in France. The first was down to the close of the war in Italy, Napoleon’s ablest Foreign minister— The second is a royalist, and perhaps the other an Orleanist. After breakfast I talked with M Droeyn de l’Huis upon American affairs. He asked me many questinos which I answered as well as I could in French. He speaks English under the same difficulty, that of paucity of words at command. He seemed not to comprehend our questions very fully, especially the influence of slavery in the struggle. Europeans generally are at fault here. I had not time to go over it, as I had promised to be at home to go out with Mrs Adams. Many Americans have called, and it was our first business to return the visits. On our way we met with Edward Brooks who came from his carriage into ours, and guided our drive. We went first into the Fauburg Saint Germain to visit M and Mrs Laugel whom we found living in one of the retired courts au cinquième. We then drove down on that side of the river to the Palais de Justice and thence to the place royale. I scarcely know where we did go but I remember it was from the Fauburg St Antoine through all the Benburds on the east side until we got back to the Champs Elysées. The indications of reconstruction are every where. Nothing presents a greater contrast than the old city with the new. In a course of yeas Paris will be the wonder of the world. After dinner we went to see the consul Mr Bigelow and his Wife at the champs Elysées. A small party of Americans among whom we counted Mr and Mrs Cranch, Mr and Miss Weed, Mrs Van Rensselaer who reminded that she was a dinner at President Van Buren’s69 in company with us. I immediately asked if she was Miss Tallmadge, whom I remembered as a young lady at that table. She said yes. It is at least five and twenty years ago, and she is yet good looking. I did not ask about her husband, for I had some misgiving about it. from a vague impression of something or other that I cannot fix. There were others there who were strangers to me. Paris has a large society of Americans who must scarcely be a source of comfort to the minster.

Cite web page as:

Charles Francis Adams, Sr., [date of entry], diary, in Charles Francis Adams, Sr.: The Civil War Diaries (Unverified Transcriptions). Boston: Massachusetts Historical Society, 2015. http://www.masshist.org/publications/cfa-civil-war/view?id=DCA62d098