26Feb1864, Made Southerners of Us All

HAGLEY, Friday, February 26th, 1864.
—Went on trying to thaw. I did district. I received a most disquieting letter from Ly. Jocelyn, announcing the Queen's wish that I shd take the 1st half of an absent M. of H.'s waiting, begg. on Mar. 17, unless it is very inconvenient. I wrote word that it was very inconvenient, and await the result in a state of nervous tension. I shd be there for Holy Week and Easter Day ! Horrid thought ! A Southern American called Harrington gave a very interesting lecture on the secession and its causes, and made Southerners of us all. Though he has been a slaveholder himself, he wd not defend the institution of slavery, and said he believed the war wd do good in leading to gradual emancipation. In his state (S. Carolina) they don't allow husband and wife to be separated. He spoke with great bitterness of the Yankees.