A cloudy, drizzly, rainy day. My letters abound, and I am almost in despair about answering them. I devolved several upon my son. The newspapers are very fierce today upon Lord Palmerston for the suppression of all notice of the Dispatch. The circumstance is adroitly seized by the opposition who threaten to make an attack upon him in parliament. Nothing is to be gained by it to them, for they are sure enough to come in, much more strongly by waiting. I walked in the midst of the mud to the house of Messr Baring, brothers & Co, and returned, which always taken a large part of the morning. We had news of the arrival of the America, but id di not bring Messr Mason and Slidell. A suspension of specie payments has taken place, which was not unexpected. Another step in the war. This Sinbad of an Army is throttling his bearer. Read a little of Malmesbury’s despatches about the Prussian army in 1795—almost as perplexing. Mr Weed here about Mr Peabody.10