John Lothrop Motley and his family; further letters and records . end me off to see my oldfriend Bismarck. God knows that it would be thegreatest delight to me to do so, and I certainly shallcontrive it sooner or later. Just at this moment I amsad. A little while ago I received the intelligence of thedeath of my father and altho he was a very old man(nearly eighty-three) yet he was healthy, and vigorous,and might have hved several years longer. We allknow that such events are in the course of nature, yetwhen they come they are great afflictions. You maywell suppose too that the great war in ou
John Lothrop Motley and his family; further letters and records . end me off to see my oldfriend Bismarck. God knows that it would be thegreatest delight to me to do so, and I certainly shallcontrive it sooner or later. Just at this moment I amsad. A little while ago I received the intelligence of thedeath of my father and altho he was a very old man(nearly eighty-three) yet he was healthy, and vigorous,and might have hved several years longer. We allknow that such events are in the course of nature, yetwhen they come they are great afflictions. You maywell suppose too that the great war in our country doesnot tend to make us very gay. Every post bringsnews of some dear friend killed. My eldest daughterleft us a few days ago with an intimate friend of ours,Mrs Wadsworth, on her way to make a years visit toAmerica. On the morning of their arrival in Paris,they read in the telegrams the death of GeneralWadsworth, her husbands brother, and the head ofthe family, killed at the head of his division in thebattle of the 6th May. We have many near relatives. THOMAS M(^, KATHER OF JOHN iJTFHROr HATRED OF SLAVERY 201 and friends in the Potomac army now, fighting san-guinary battles every day, so that we almost shrinkfrom looking at the hsts of killed and wounded in theAmerican papers when they arrive. I feel very hopeful however, that this year may bethe last of the war on a great scale. You asked me in the last letter, before the presentone, if we knew what we were fighting for —I cantlet the question go unanswered. We are fighting topreserve the existence of a magnificent common-wealth—and to annihilate the loathsome institution ofnegro slavery. If men cant fight for such a causethey had better stop fighting furthermore. Certainlysince mankind ever had a history and amused them-selves with cutting each others throats, there neverin the course of all the ages was better cause for warthan we have. There—I suppose I had better throw this letter intothe fire
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