I spoke of the back-down of the Yankees, which he asserted would make them lose caste in Europe.

The great fire at Charleston was alluded to by him, whereupon I remarked that Europe could see from this incident--( the work of incendiarism prompted and paid for, no doubt, by the enemy)--the barbarous nature of the war waged upon us, and told him we were in fact fighting the battles of Spain as well as our own; for if the barbarians of the North succeeded in overcoming the South (which, however, I pronounced an impossibility), and destroying our slave property, in their wild fanaticism and increasing madness, they would next make war on Cuba and Porto Rico.

He replied that this war could not continue much longer; there were people and territory enough in North America to make two great governments, and Europe would, no doubt united, soon interpose.

I was treated with great civility and kindness.
_Tuesday, January 14th_ .-- * * * Had an interview to-day with the Naval-Commandant, who explained to me the orders he had received from the Government in relation to my ship, which were to put upon her only the _indispensable_ repairs, without essential alterations.

I expressed myself satisfied with this; told him I knew the solicitude of his Government to avoid complication; and, that so far as depended upon me, he might rely upon it that I would permit nothing to be done which might involve it in any way.