Weather very variable. I was so much occupied in my work of letter writing that I had not much time to think of any thing else. With steady labor I succeeded in accomplishing every thing by five o’clock. I then had a visit from Mr Cameron, now on his way home from St Petersburg without leave. The peculiarities of American are more visible in the foreign Diplomatic service than about any where else. The looseness with which all their obligations sit upon them, and the ready manner with which they consult their own convenience. General Cameron has to thank the President for letting him down from a place he found incompetent to fill without position disgrace. Instead of having any sensibility about, he accepts it on the score of a pleasant217 excursion to Europe, and in the autumn after applying for leave to go home and being refused he decides nonetheless to go without it. I found in my conversation with him a temper evidently discontented, and a jealousy of General McClellan which I could scarcely credit to true motives. Mr Cameron was possessed with the rabies so common among our second and indeed I may say our first rate public men, to become President the consequence of which has thus far done as much harm in our present struggle—I regret Mr Cameron’s return because he would be safer out here. At the same time, my impression is his influence is much gone even in his own state. In the evening we had the later news by the Scotia, which so far as it went was favorable. Thus my state of mind was more easy and quiet than for a month back. I passed the evening at home reading the memoirs of Lord Auchland.