THE CIVIL WAR. 283 



the opinion that he was one of the greatest and purest of 

 men, and that Professor Silliman was one of the most fin- 

 ished and kindest of gentlemen. Near half a century of 

 experience and observation have in nowise changed that 

 opinion. 



When the civil war broke out, Professor Silli- 

 man's whole heart was enlisted in the cause of the 

 country. He watched the progress of the conflict 

 with intense interest, and was generally hopeful as 

 to the result. To the administration of Mr. Lincoln, 

 for whom he had voted, he rendered his entire confi- 

 dence and unwavering support. That the war might 

 somehow work out the extinction of slavery, he, in 

 common with other good men, earnestly prayed. At 

 the conduct of England, a country towards which he 

 had always cherished a filial attachment, he felt deeply 

 aggrieved. The precipitate recognition of the Con- 

 federates as a belligerent power, followed by the 

 culpable remissness of the British government in 

 permitting vessels to sail out from English ports to 

 prey on our commerce, together with the flippant 

 declaration of Palmerston in the Commons, that 

 England would not modify her municipal laws to 

 prevent this international injustice, and the unfriendly, 

 contemptuous tone of most of the leaders of public 

 opinion in that country, who seemed to be resolved 

 not to know, or, at any rate, not to publish the 

 truth, were felt to be in the highest degree offensive. 

 Professor Silliman lost for England a large portion 

 of that peculiar respect which he, like most culti- 

 vated Americans, especially New Englanders of the 

 Federalist school, had always felt for " the mother 

 country." And this change of feeling took place not 

 without pain. 



