A rainy day. I had a succession of visitors this morning. Mr Walker to talk over the matter of Vicksburg. There has been a story circulated here of later than the latest news giving an account of the relief of the place, and the surrounding and capture of Genl Grants force. The story had been so impressed on him by Mr Parkes last night that he seemed inclined to credit it. I am so familiar with these tricks of rebel sympathizers that I pay no attention to such fictions. It is bad enough to be worried by genuine news, without having the addition of that which is manufactured. Mr Pliny Miles came to pump me for information and to advise me of a declaration made by Mr J. O Lever, that he had some valuable information, if I would call to see him. Mr Miles is a writer for the newspapers, and desires to make something out of me. I had also W. A. Jackson, a black man who has been acting as a speaker at public meetings on the slave question. He was a slave and for a time acted as Coachman to Jefferson Davis at Richmond. He wanted assistance and I helped him. Continued my labor on my trial balance without effective result. In the evening the ladies and I went in to a reception at a neighbor’s, Lady Alderson’s. A small party. The ladies were going on to a ball at Lady Townshend’s, but learned here that it had been put off.391