Newspaper Page Text
NATIONAL INTELLitilSNCfcii. INTERCEPTED CORRESPONDENCE OF TIIE CON FEDERATE AUTHORITIES The subjoined highly iutcrestiug and important papers, bung the correspondence of the Confede rate authorities in Richmond with their diplomatic and tiuuncial ugcnt? abroad, have been recently in tercepted by cur Government. Their contents will be found not only curious bul very instructive for the " South-side view" they give of the operations, p'ituP, and prospects of the " Confederacy." o ? CORRESPONDENCE OF THE CONFEDERATE SI ATE DEPARTMENT. Mr. Benjamin to Mr. Slid tit. [No. 6, duplicate. J Dei'aktment or Statu. ItirhtnoHi/, Stptrmbtr 1N>2. Hon. John Slideu, Ac. dco. Ac , Paris. Slit: Since my number r?, of l!Uh July, I tun without auy communication from you, with the exception uf your No. ii, of "itith February lust, which mum brought to the Dipartmut on the atith of tliii* month by Mr. Chauiber ]yn, to whom y >u had enirusted it. This geutlt-unuj has bus consumt ii scvcu mouths in discharging the tmst con fided to him Y ur Humbert 1, 11 4. ?">. and <i are still mi-sing, and for the rcgulaiity of the archive* of the Department I l?-^ you "D forward duplie ites of them. Event" <?( star*! :;g importiiice have been crowded so r'i itlly i*>to the dint period which his elapsed since my I st d.Mpnteh that iiuy attempt to give them in detail would swell tbi? eoinmunicAtioii into a volume. I drill endeavor " s>-nd \ 'iii herewith our files of newspapers, which will i jrmxh *irt-.iIm, r*n?J confine mynell to a sr,?t?'iiiciit of the present condition of uti'uiri*. Oil the I'.Mh July the remnant of MeClellin'a defeated army was still eucnmp-d ut Harrison's Landing, ou James ; r.cr, lortiti. <1 in a veiy strong position, and protected by .? (? rui dabl'* flr't t ol l:u11b<im:u. Ha defeat had been fol lowed by an order ? f President Lincoln investing Mf.jnr Geiicrai Hallcck with ihe command in chief of all the ar mies of the United States, headquarters at Washington. .\itjor Gen. Pope was as-icred to the command of the army of the Potomac, which w as composed of the shattered rem nauts of the armies ol Freimut, Miiroy, and Banks, after Ihfir rout by G> n Jack-on in the battles of the \\rl--y, to which wore added the several armes of McDowell, who ccipini Fie lericksburg; oi Hurnside, who was recalled ;rom North Carolina; and of Hunter mid Stevens, who were recalled (torn Mouth Carolina. lbi? firmy was also '.ncre-tecd by troops withd.:nvu from Norfolk and Fortress ii'-nroe, and replaced at llio-- points by raw levies. This i.ccuiuulnled l?rc< Amounted probebiy to about ninety thou ii>-.d effect, ve men, and the old cry of "Ou to Richmond ' wus renewed wilh llie usual accompaniment 'of extrava gant boasting by the North rn journal-*. Gen. Lire lirtt oi-patched lien. Jackson with a corps <1 ariiie,- of about twenty-five thousand men to check P.pc's advance, and having Mtistied himself that a small force would be sufficient t > wtvtch McClellan, (whos-t army was dt moializiMi und dispirited by the result of the battles ol the Chickuhominy, and was beiug Inst worn down by sickness,) proceeded wit.ii tlx ? main body ol the army as ! upidly as possible to join lit n Jackson: but the move ment was not accomplished as speedil, us was desirable, ? const-qnerc ? ol oijr ib liei-*i cy in mean- <>' tran*pona iion Gen. Lee hid hopel with h s united f rces, which weto nearly equal in ni iu' er to /ope n, to crush the army 1 that general beloie Me leiian could come to its Tel.of, such a movement wer.? attempted. The plan Wis on :iie me f successful aceomilishmeut when a sudden rain ftoriu p- swtlM tne l(a, id Ann river that it was necrssary to wait Rome days before cros-i ig it, a d Pope, iu the mean time, taking the alarm, r-tired rapidly behind the Rappahannock, thus briitgini; himself witi.in eupportmu ? tlisrance o: McCI-liar), who 'iad been ordered round tojoiu ? him hi hccoruanee with the anticipations of Gen. Lee. ! The combi ud forces ofMcCI- Han and P- i>*> were, however, met by Lien. Lee in auenes of successful bj> tics on tfie plaios of Manassas on the -Zr h, ^th, and liOuli August, and tue toud iourr? fd I lie tnemy was folio wva<1 hy tLe with drawal ol theK e it're force* Into the fortiticatinrisj around a^hington; by the disgrace of Pope, who has been ban it bed to an insignificant command in Minnesota; aid by tb# appoiatmeut ot Mc'Jb llau to the c mmaud of the army coll.-cted " for the defence of Wn h ngtoo !" Gun Lpe, amtieing the enemy by feigned demonstrations of uttack on bis linen at Arlington iifights, succeeded in withdrawing his entire army from their front and entered Maryland by the fords at Edward's Ferry, in the neighborhood of Lces burc, without opposition, aud established his headquarters at Frederick Again ninking deceptive demonstrations of an intcn . "ii lo march, nt one liun- mo Penus)Ivania and' at a O'h^r agsinnt Kaltimore, Gen. J>ee disposed his army m sur' itia-nier that by a r*pid movement he enveloped the iviiole Peceral f *rce of over el-vea thousand men ttatioued ->t Hii per s Ft rry, and forced it into an unconditional *ur renler Tfie fruits of this movement were ever eleven thou* ind prisoners, including more IIjid four hundred < ffi cers. twelve thousand stmds of arms, ninety pieces of nr tilb-?-y, and an enormous quantity of s'ores, principally mufitions of war, tt>getr:er w tn twohundird wagons, ?\^c Gen. McClelNn, becoming aware too late of the danger, moved fro in Washington in grctt baste with the view to r-beve the troops inv'sitvi at Harp-r's Ferry, and on the day before Ihcir surrender attacked with his whole force of eighty thousand men Gen. D If. Hill, who, with a rear guard of fifteen thousand men, had been left to resist his advance, and who be!d his position with unconquerable fi mness, but was finally compelled t<i give way for a fhort listanee, u .der thf stress of these overwhelming odds, un til (4? us. Li e and L ngstri et, arrivi ig with re-enforce ments, re established his lines, a*id repulsed the enemy, 1 h ? rauid arrivi-l <.1 r- enfore-no'tits for Gen McCI-llan iii.iure.l Gen. Lee to withdraw his troops to Sharpsburg, for tb?j purpose of eff-ctj?!g a junction with the corps of Generals Jackson hiiJ A P if ill, who bad not y. t re tun ed from the capture of Marp>-r's Ferry. Oil Ttie*dav Mid Wednesday, the 10th and 17th instant, Gen. McClel ?iit), wi ll b s entire army, amounting probably to one lj'in d ej and fif'ytboiwind men, attacked G'-n. Lee wiih great fay, while the latter was >tiil separated from tb- corps " Ja "ksoii ai d Hill, and had n -t more than forty thou hm d Bien t" meet the assault InTedihle *? it niay appear. ? ;ir 'l'tcviiq ierable toldiers met the shock with unyie ding firinn -s, fought with desperat <?ii, although t rribly out fl'inke'l on both win^s an<t. slowly reliring, mainta'ned an u-ibrokcn front, until tb* arrival of Jackson at nr.on, fob ?wed by that of A P Mill at four P. M , enabled thc'ti to 'urn tb?? tide, to drive back the advancing columns of the ? n.'iriy, and to rega'n tb.-ir first position, when the Mp p'oach of r ight put an end to the m >st desperate conflict of tli? war, <??oh part} sleep ng on its arms in the respective po i'i n-occupied h\ them wb ?n the battle liegan. Gen. L-e prepared r<> jeie* the engagement next morning, but i.c enemy had di? ip^eared from bis front, and left him the tna ter ??!" the fi*M. Aft-r occupying tl ? day in providing for his wounded ard the hiiuir of the dead. Gen. Lee withdrew bis army t-cross tb? river to ?hept.erdstown for rest, and f<ir ihe purpoae of gathering a b rge i uml? r of s'.r g^'lers jet on t e road from Richmond ; and no sooner sn< this fact known than Gen McCb'lUn claimed n \irrt <TJ, and was teinp'etl by the frantic exult iti .ii ..f rtlP Northern pnp-rs i it t what lie c.Jled a purcuitof a dying foe. i| * t-emerity net w oh severe pun.sfn,i, i,t On the Vlat instant a divi mom of Irs a m), in attempting to croaa the rtv-r, was de e ved by a 'eig-.e l retreat of Jack?on until they were t ?o f r advanco d for retreat and w-ro routed with app<d|j.l|{ e lighter. The river was choke] with tu. ir de ol who 1 li by thousands; a id out of onn regiment of about fifteen j.untred men who att-*u pted the pa-sage hut ab ut one jtu dred auii fifty are believed t > have escaped. CJen Eee, Ht th? list accounts, wts about to recross into Mirjhnd ot Willnmsj ort. and bis prt bably alreadj estabii-fce l bis hea lquartTs a* that point Gen Lot ng. in W'e-t-rn \ r^!. i h s ju t c >ncludet| a perfectly sucoe-nful camp ii:, i. (w .lli the aid sif Ge.i Jen ki*m,) by which the enemy, after heinjj heat-'ii iu a s-riei ?>f battles, with heavy loss in killed, woundel, arid prison ers, bad r-ac'ied in thei.* rtight the lower waters of the Kanawha. a>:d th- remnant of their forces is prob*b'y by this tim? ou the other side of the Obi. rive- thin leaving IVeiteiu Virginia jierft ctly fr-e fr m any o tier .nvading force than some sm-'l nil i ?s in theekUeme Northwest in tbe ne:gnborh"ti I f Wheeling. Signal triumphs have iflust'-ated our arms in the v-J!cy of ti.e Mi?siSfi( pi. M> la t <?pitch asnminced thti G.?n It rgu had commenced a noveaieut w heh was t xpeeled tolbrr ll Tennessee Tom the presence of the invaders. After a long ""d laborii us march of over 100 miles he crossed, ifinternip'ed by 'h" enemy, from Tupelo in Mis si' sippi toCiiBftanooga in Tennessee, f'a-. airy expeditions, under the daring leadership of f'td. Morgan i n I Geri rni j'orrest, w. re dispatched iu'o Kentucky and Tennessee, v bich Attack-d the ene'ny at their difleren* encampments i nd depots ?d si p; Iit-s, T eir coinfnun oation.i were in ereepted radroa bridge bor ed, tunn Is destroyetl, e mps raptured, aid ?eve:?I thousands of thesr troops ti, C" p'i o erti ' lie eiemj's anny ut Cumb rlarid Gap, I f ill I I' MIIMl -t1 Oilji. W I1M elo?ei ovest- <1 i H sllpplie Cllt ,oi? 1W'I 'hey were otce<d at,sn U-n the r posi'io , iu the ' *Lt, and a no'\ .I i gttiroi^' K'? <it<n k hotly put sued I uur f ree* in ter G o. Car'.-r Btevensou, who is cap t' ring fcbeir s ra gi.n ba d- #i? f i*i ?? he cau resrli them i'bi'* a;uiy f the eu my mny be consd-r d as neariy annih lafed. M i >r General Kirby Smith, m the meHri time, advan. od rapidly into Kentucky, reached Uu hui nd, d feated a (I U'Nry routed an a*-m> ol IOjOOO me > und r <ren. N-I'i' "i. tie 30t'? August, Uhe very d ty of (Jen. Lee's grand victory lit Mana-nas ) The enemy's army was alw<>l?iely destroyed**i't more th^o two or three thousand fugitives is apiujf from the bstt.e-litud The whole ol the arms taken In Q?U Ultle were used t i arm the Ken 1 tnckiaus who are joining ut in mass. ami ?o doubt is ^nw taiued that that great State is ut last perinaneutlyJoin. ? to our Confederacy. G-ueral Br?g< advanced into Ken tucky by aiiot tor line, tad leiviog and 1 <>*% ir Green to bis i. ft wrived at Muufordsvule, where he fercua u body of r.,000 men t > a esnitulation, thus provtiung arms for further r#iiiforcenuMit? ??f Keuiuckians. i hese opeia tioiis, by eu'twg oft Geueral Buell from bis >i?e ?? fore d that officer to evacuate Nashville. and thus not only i* tlit1! wholn of IViiUfMH rertoftnl tu out po sea* ? with th? exception nf a nmull district around - einJ\\ ' hut the seat <>f war has kwn removed from ?.tc ?>>*? " Memphis and Charleston r lilrnad t?? the banks ?' ! ?1|?' - ' ? Wo are in daily expectation of the new* of the capture L The'Entreat between our preset cm.li'ionMind that winch existed ninety day* ago .teem* almost m>>gic1 , Stead of having the invader in the h?art ol < tir ? J. with our capital cicely ideated by an ""..gaiilM il dent foe, oar entire frontier, froiu the Atlaii ic to ?> Bitaippi, with a few in.iguificant exception-, >? repo-.ua i peace behind thc protection of our victorious forces. lb cry of ' On to Richmond" and of " waning proportion ol the r<-belli"U " is changed into a r.iscordailt clamor for pro tection it rifting from Ohio and IV niwlvanm and terror and confusion reign in Cincinnati, and Hiirrisburt, and 1 ula delph a. No greater or mure striking pro f of the charifj of spirit at the North can be presented than is shown in the official despatch of Gen. MoClellan, in which, after falsely claiming a victory on th* 17th ins an:, he y felicitates his Government that "Pennsylvania is sa.e. The newspapers of New York, too, are demanding the transfer of the mint of the United States to that city, on the around that it is exposed to capture in Philadelphia. Herewith you will receive the President * mesiage and sceouipsiiung documents, including the measures taken tor the repre-sion of the enormities Threatened by the enemy, under the command of General Pope. I am gratified to in'orui you that some wventy of Ger.eral Pope s officers, including General Prince, wete captured by Jackson, at the battle of Cedr Run, soon alter the i?rtiie ol the President's retaliatory order, and were except ed out of the eich*ngo of prisoners < f w.?r and held in close custody. Thi. Wholesome severity produced the do sired etf ct> a: d on official assurances r ceivedfrom the enemy that Gen Pope's order was no longer in force and that be had been removed fr. m Ins command, the captured officers were paroled for exchange. Ah I have observed that m s-me of the Eimlisb journals the f?c>a have been strangely perverted at-d the ac ion of the Prr",:<'el't Ct U* sured as wanting in humanity, it h desirable that some proper ine-ns be adopted by you tor giv rig publicity to the facta. The confinement of the officers, notwithntajiding the threit of great rigor, was the same as that ot nil the other prifoneis of war, und no other severity wu-) exercised towards them than n refusal 'to parol- them for exchange till Pope's murderous orders were setfaside. It may not be improper to call your attention, for sue i use as may occur, t > the enormous losses sulfered by the enemy during the present campaign, aud to which hutory furnishes no parallel except the disastrous retreat from Moscow. I give you the following estimate, which, w.th out any pretension to exact accuracy, U reduced much be low what is believed to be the re?l state of the ca? ', from sources of information derived mainly from the enemy s own confess ons. The list inciu lcs not only the lulled, wounded, and prisoners, but the lo-eea of the enemy by sickness i which wan truly terrible) nod desertion; let. McClellan's army lost 1W.UUU He landed on the Peninmil i with nearly 11)0,000 men, was afterward? reinforced to I58.0t?0, t?nd left with a remnant of about S5,0<K> men 2d. Pope's army in the bnttles of Cedar ltun and - ot Manassas Plains 3d. The armies of Banks, Milroy, MeDowi II, >hields. and Fremorrt, in the battles of the Val ley of Virginia ** ",V "U,'?,J0 4tb. Halleck's army in the West, originally '>20,Oi 0, was reduced by battles, at Shil< h and elsewhere, by sickntsi and desertion, to less than 100,000 men, but let the Iocs be stated at only 100 000 uth. On the coasts of North and South Carolina, ; Georgia. Florida, and Louisiana, principally by sicknesB and desertion, at le-.st 'r'!!!!! C,th. In North anl flo nth western Virginia ?>.00l? 7th. In the battle of Boonsboro' an 1 Sharpsburg. )?> 000 rtth. In the surrender at Harper's Ferry l, '000| 9th. In the battle at Roteler's Mill * 2,.>00 loth. Ill the army of Gen. Morgan, at Cumberland 5.000 11th. In the battle of Richmond, Kentucky. J 1,00 Tith. In the aurMnder at Munfordsville ...? -- o.Oto 13th. In the campaigns of Morg-in a'nl Forrest, 1 and other partisan leaders in Kentucky and I Tennessee 14th. In the trans-Misiisnippi campaign, mclud ing partisan warfare in Missouri and Arkansas.. -.>,000 Total. ~~349,500 In this etiorinous number I am not n<"-w hb'e to state what general officers were in luded, but in the single bat tle r.f Shftrp-burg, of U".th aud 17th insUnt, eieveu Gene rals i'f the enemy were killed o," wounded-, among them four Major G-neral-.. I? nr'ose you, for information, copy of a despatch s^nt to Mr Mann on the suhj-ct of a rec.?nt convention be tween the United States h,:d the K:ng of 1' ninnr*, fell t:ve to Africans captured from slavers a1^ fea. Ii n ay be well to hav.' an eye to the movements of Ihe enemy in the dispoad of slaves c ptured from our peop'e, and y?>u v.ill perce "e. by the instructions to Mr. Mann, what are the President's v ews on this interesting matter. I r-ceiv d, on tin* 29"h July, the ilupluaU of a letter of Mr Rost, resigning his ofti :e, and informing the D.-purt uior.t that he wa? ab iut to leave Madrid, and had confided the hooks and pap^isof the legation f<>r safe keeping to Mr Hauer, the ?-ge t at:d partner of the Rothschilds, in Madrid. 'I his letter is dated on the 2^th May. and as no tbing is said in it i i relation to Mr. Wi-lker Fearn, the Secret try of Legation, I infer that the orimnnl was ac companied hj ? letter of resignation from Mr learn also, but no such fetter lias reiched the Department. You are reiiueetet to ascertain whether Mr. Fearn has res'gned, and if. contrary ti^t'ue inference drawn from Judg > R >st's IctVr. lie ha* not done ?o, the President desire- that you intimite to him, in the manner best adapted to avoid wounding.his feeling*, that the depar ure of Mr K->st, un d^r the circumstances, and his do ing up of the legati'in at Madrid, have put an end to Mr. Fearu's fuuetious n Secre'ary to Madrid, and that his office has thus ben vacated. I am, sir, respectfully, ycur obedient servant, J IV BENJAMIN, H cretary of State. Mr. Benjamin 1o Mr. Mann. [N?. I ] Dkpautmkst of Static, liirhmonfi, AU)?UM It. 18(32. Hon. A. Duulf.y &ic. ?.Vc , I5ri.s??-I*, Belgium. I 8iR : We p.ro inf irmed thar awarrangein*^ has been j rec-ntl) concluded between the Government ??f Ibe United i Stute* and that of Denmark f??r transferrin# to the Danish I (Joi<nies in tbn We*t Indu** African* who m*y he captured f 7i ji *lnvtr* and brought into the United S'ate*. We are not informed of the pr- pise term* of thi* agreement, and can, of CHirse, have no objection to offer t?? it* execution, if confin-d t?? the el*** of persona above dea'unat^d, that i*, to Afri<'.an(? released by tae U: iled States Irom \essel* en gaged in the alive tr.de in violation of law* and treati-s. 11 h /?>, b'twefer, been siiggeg'ed U> the President that tinder cover of thi* ag>eom?iit th > llmted Stat*>? may im pore upo'i the good fitit'i of th- Government of Denmark, ?Hid in ike it the uiih itti> K and innocent participant in the war now wngnd HgHinut us. The recent legisl ition of the C-tfigresa of the I'ni'?d Ktat-e*, ai.d the action of it? mili tary an horiie*, betray the design of converting Ihc war into a cilmp iign of irdiscrimlnale robbery and murder. I encl^n'* herewith a letter ot the Pr nident to t':e General com m in ling in-chief of onr armies, and a g -neral order on ih.? ?nhjeot of the conduct of M*j. Gen Pope, now commanding the tnemy'a ferces in Northern Virginia, that yon may f urn fome f/iint idea of the atrocit e< v h ch are threatened, j The act of Congress of the United Stati a. (of which a copy in enclosed.) decre-inj the confincat.on of the pmpcrty of! nit person* engHged iu wnnt that law term* a rebellion, in elude*, a* you are awar^, the entire prip ?rty of ull the riii- ; ren- ?( the Confederacy. The aame law de-ree* aubnian? tially the ein irscipation of all our *l?ve?; and an executive ord< r of Pre*ident Lincoln direct the command ?:* of hi* armies to employ th"in a? laborer* in tbn mil iary *ervicc. , It it well known, however, that notwithstanding the re- \ strictve term* of thin order, several of hi* general* openly employ the i-Uvn* to hear arum against their ma-tor*, and I have thua inaugurated, a* (ar a* lie* in lh?*ir power, a *er- ; vi'e war of whose horror* mankind has had a shocking ex- ' aniple within thr memory of man) n w living The per- i fi.ly. \i d ctiveneaa, and savage cm* Ity with which this war i< wngc.d agiinst u*, h.irc had bu- tew parallels in tfe an- | nd* ot nation*. The Government of the United ,Stit?'?, however, finds' itself gtea'ly etnb?rra**e; in the execution ot it? scheme* by the difficulty nf disponing of th * slave* *.ize | by it* tn?op* ?r?l subjected to conlt -cation by it* barbarous laws. ' The prejudice against th" negro race i* in th* Northern ' State* no ifttetiae and deep r iot"d that the migration of our I *lave* into tlroe Sta'e* wou'd m -et with violent opposition i both fr'in tt.eir people and hctl authoi i.>g Already; r ot* are bee >niinj r it * in the No.thern el'i '*, km ing ut of eonfl.cts and rivfirie* between I,heir whit* laborina p pulntion and the slave* who h?vn he - i cnrri?-d from Vir- i ainii by the army ol the Unit, d HtatM. Yet these *lave? ate an inapprec ab> fraction ot ihe negui popui -i n f the Jtoiith. It is thu.< perceived that the ?i Otmta. !e presented by !he diffi. ulty of di*p"?mg of alave* *? u<-<1 lor coufifC>t:on i* of itself sufficient to c*li??? k in a very nr-at d< gree the execution of tho barbarous p< licy inaugurated by our enemie*. The repented instances of *h^meless peifidy exhibited . by the Government <f tbe United Htut^s duiiug the prose cution of the war ju*tify us in the suspicion that bad faith underlies < very act nn their p irt having a hearing, how ever imnot ?, on th* h >*t li;ie? now pending. Whi'n, tUere f ?re, t! e President received at the *anie t me information of two itnporUu1. facts?one, that the Unite<! States were suffeiing grave i mbsrratsment from tbe preseuce wilhia . their liuiito of tht* slaves sez.d from bur cititens; the other, that th-< Dflikd NUte* h?d agreed to transfer to Denmark, for transportation to tin* Danish West Indian, th Africans ciptured at sea from slave-trading vesrels, be felt that tll-re was just reason t > suspect au intimate coi. nex>< n tfiw rn tbt *9 ft cts, and that the purpose of our treacherous enemy was to impost) ou the good faith of ? neutrai aal fiieudly Power by palming off our own s'aves seized for c iifi?catio'i by the enemy as A ft ic tus rescued at '< h fruit slave-traders. You ?re specially instructed to observe that the Presi dent entertains no apprehension that the Government of D'-niuatk would for one moment swerve from the observ ance of ?trict neutrality initio war now raging on (hi* continent: still less that it would fail disdainfully to rej ct n> p? M'-i jIe complicity, however remote, in tb? system of i-".tiscati >11, robbery, and murder which the United States have recently adopted under the sling of defeat in their unjust attempt to subjugate a free people. His only fear in that the cabinet of Copenhagen may (as haa happened to ourselves) fail to ne-ueet in others a perfidy of which themselves are incapable. Ilia only purpose in instructing you, as he now does, to communicate the contents of this despatch to th? Danish Minuter of Foreign Affairs, (and if deemed advisable to furnish a copy of it,) ia to convey the information which has given riae to the i-uspieit ns enter t ?iued here. The President hopes thus to prevent the possibility of success in any attempt that may be made to deceive ihe servant* of his Dansh Majeaty by delivering to them (or conveyance totho Weit lodiea nur alavea seized for eonti coiou by the enemy, mat-ad of Africans rescued on ttie high 8c.i4. Y<>u are requested to proceed to G'openhugeu by the ear liest practical conveyance, aud execute the Preaident'a in structions on this su'>j-ct without unnecessary delay. 1 am, Ac. J. P. BENJAMIN, Secretary of State. Mr. Bmjamin to Mr. Seidell. [ No 7.] CONKKDEKATE STATES OF AMERICA, Department of Stute, llich-nond, Oct. 17, lc't>"?i. Slit: Since my No. (5 of 2Gth ultimo, of which dupli cate is herew iih forwarded, some circumstance* of a very remarkable character have c..me to Ihe knowledge of the. President, to which your earrest attention is invited. On the 7th iua'ant the President received from Gov. Lubbock, of Texas, a letter of which a copy ia annexed, marked A, with enclosures No*. 1 and 2. 1 he very singular nature of this correspondence initiat ed, ;w you will perceive, by Mr. B Tk6ron, French Con sular Agent and Spanish Vice Co-iaul at Calverton, natu rally excited a lively interest, but we had not yet arrived at any satisfactory conclusion as to th) nature and extent, nor the source of the intrigue evidont'y on foot, when, on the ]:tth instant, the President received from the Hon. W. S. Oldham, Senator front Texas, a letter, of which a copy, marked B, is herewith enclosed. The concurrent nctiou of two French Con ular officers, at points so remote from each other as Galveston arid K ehmond; the evident understanding which exists be tween them; the similarity of th-ir views and conduct; the choice of Mr. Oidhain ns the parly to bo approached, he beiuu generally considered aa identified with ihe party opposed to the Administration, while Mr. Wigfal1 is i s supporter ; all concur in satisfying ua that there is not only concert of action between' theje officials, but that their conduct has been dictated by some common superior. In plain language, we feel authorized to inter that the French Government has, for some interest of its own, inatrue'ed some of its consular ugenta bere to feel the way, and if possible to provoke some movement on the part of the State of ft xsR which shall result in ita withdrawal from the Confederacy. It is difficult, if not impna-ible, on any other hypothesis, to account for thecoiiduQt,&ft'ie*e agents I have, in ncc ordance with the instructions of the Presi dent, expelled both Mr. Theron and Mr. Tabouelle from the Conft?deracy, and have forbidden their return without the previous permission of the Government. I enclose jou copies of ihe orders of expulsion, marked C and D. In endeavoring to account for such a course of actiou on the part of the French Government, I can only attribute it to oue or both of the following causes : Ist. 1 he lvnperor of tLe French has determined to con quer1 uud hold Mexico aa a colony, and ia desirous of inter posing a weak power between bis new colony and the Con federate Stut* s, in order that he may feel secure against any interference with his de igria on Mexico. ?id. Ihe I* tench Government is desireus of securing for itself an independent source of cotton supply, to offset that possessed by (?:eat Britain in It.dia, and designs to effect lbs purpose by tukiug uuder its protection the State of 1 exas, which, after being acknowledged as an independent republic, would, in its opinion, be in effect as dependent tut Fr anc ? and as subservient to French interests as if a French co.ony. !* ia more than probable that both these considerations would have weight in the councils of the French Cabiuet, and we a re not w ithout suspicion that the tortuous diplomacy of Mr. S-wnrd may have had irftme influence in inspiring such designs, lho,de8tre to weaken the Confederacy, to exhibit it to the world as "a rope of sanl," without con sistence or cohesion, and therefore not worthy of recog I nition as an independent iu-*mber of the family of naiions, | would afford ample motives for the adoption of such a course by the Cabinet of the United States, which is driven ; to a diplomacy of expedients in the desperate effort to avert the impending d om which awaits the party now in l?ower in Washington. One t.th?r suggestion occurs tt> me, which you may re cer e as purely conj-ctural on my part. It is known to me ptriMiiotlly that at the date of the annexation of Teias to the United States, Mr. Dub .is de Sahgny, the presrnt Fr nc!t Minister in Mexico, a d who was at that tiin? rr> nch Charge d'Afl'aires to the Republic of Texas, was vehemently < pposed to the annexation, and was active in endeavoring to obstruct and prevent it Even at that date the iL sptteh/s of Mr litiiieu', which I had an <>pportunity of rea fi-ig, were filed wi h urgumcnts to show that the ii t r.sts i f I'exas were id-Titical with those of France, wii that b ?tli vv'Miij J be pr(-in ?t^i by the maintenance of a sepnrat ? nationality in Tex is. The intrigue now on foot, therefore, accords completely with a po icy in regard tu lexas tt.at nay be almost naid to b? traditional with 1 ranee; and it is not impossible that the niovementof th^ C 'hsu.ar fcgents here has received its first iuipulee from the r re rich legation in Mexco, instead of the Cabiuet of the I oil'eries. I hese movements are not con i.lered as having the sli;h est importance so far as their effect on Texas is con c^rur-d. 1 h*? ansueis of Governor Lubbock und the letter of Mr. Oidhum will satisfy ynu how little tho e gentlemen were di-po*ed to encourage such at'empt^, while the popu 't''' ]"X in Texas ia best evinced by the fact that she haa s-venty reigiments of cjlunhtr* in our army. But the evidei.ee thus affirdel ol a disposition on the part of r ra ice to seize on this crisis of our f?te as her occasion f..r the promotion of selfish interests, and this too alter the assurances of friendly disposition, or, at worst, impartial neutrality, which y<-u have rec -ived from the leadir.g pub'ic men of I ranee, eanniit but awaken solicitude; and the 1 resident trusts that you will nse every effirt fo discover th- s urce, ex.ent, and designs r?f titese intrigues, and whether the Unit'd State* are parties to them. It may perhaps be in your pow r to nuke use of this di?covcry a!?o by awakening the Bi iti-h Government to a sense of the fact that deigns are i ntertrinrd of which that Ooveru m?r.i is not probably awaie, a'd w'hieh it maj be unwilling to see Rcooinplished. An eiMtrged and goneroiia statesmanship would ser'm to indicate m. clearly that the e^.ihlisbmet.t ?f Southern ln tl pentlei.ee on a secure bas s fa .tl with a strength st.ffi. eient to rount-rba ance the power of the United Stat-s as well as to prevent exteiisivo French colonization on our Southern border) would promote the true iuterests of C?roat hrituri, that we i\iu\ it difficult to account for her persistent refill to recogcise our independence. The inow ledge of ? secret atiempt on the part . f Franc-) to obtain scpir.-le advantiges of such vast inaffr-itude may perbap< induce a change in fh.? vifw? of the Briti-b Cabi n-t. I -p ?,ik of the attempt its secret, f..r it is ?carcely po? sible fo fiippose that the act on of the Fr. nch agents is r .k 'n w ith the concurrence or connivanc i of the British Governuient. If you com- to the conclusion that these c njfetiires are well founded, jou aie at liberty to make known to her M.njes y's Government the facts herein com inunicited, eitb r through the British Minis'er at Paris or by conceit with Mr Mast n. It is deemed desirable that in either event you should ndvi.e Mr. Mason of the course y ? may adopt, as it is very probable that the Kngli*h Government Wl" l,,|,rn from Richmond the fact of the ex pulsion of the Consuls, and the caus- of the action of this Government, which fr.-m its very nature is n^coinoanied with son e oegrre of publ city. 1 enclose t. Mr Mason for bia information a copy of this couimuuicafi iu. Your obedieot servant, ?' P BENJAMIN, Secretary, f State Hifii. JOHN SliDkij,, Coinm U^ioner, Ac 4r., Pari*. ? c. .. - OfTOBRH 20, lr<ti2 I K Sine> the f .regorng was tvritt?-n I have b.d an in ters! w with Mr. Tab. uelle, and from the explmationa of fered by bun and certain facts uhich have e m* t? my Knowledge, I have b-com* snt.sfi-d that, not Withstand ng the singular coinc dene* befw-en bis eouversaMon with Mr Oldham and the communication of Mr. Tb^ron to Gov Lubbock, there was no concert r.f action between tht?m and tt at Tab melle is no party to the intrigue referred to' The ordfr for his expulsion has been therefore revoked, as you will perceive by the nnnexed ropy of a letter to him m. k -d K. It is barely pi ssible, though I th nk not probable, that 'I heron rosy have act-'d on his own ideas of what he sup po ed woul.t be agree-ib'e to his superiors, and not In eon *e.|ue tee of instructions. The whole matter is one of great delicacy, and I mu-t, leave it to your own discretion h w bra: ,1 treat it, after endeavoring to sat sfy yoursolf iy e,i? r I heron's movements were dictated by the French Lata ,et. Very rcsp^-'fully, yn^r obedient servant, J. I*. BENJAMIN, Secretary of H ate. I Private and confident al "J Kxrciitivk Dki'aiitmknt, I ? ( Turnt,) HtpUmber 11, lHfii. Io bis Excel encv .) kitrrtsox Davin, Pr?siitent, Ac , hiehmnnd. Va the Il-tl 'IT '? forW\H for rn?r consideration t ie enclosed copies of letters, the (marked A) (mm the French Mid Spanish CoiimiI at fl.ilveaton, tbe othe r (marked B) be ng my replj th-reto. As the proceeding of t&e et?ii CuOiul would sweni to in dicata an incipient iitrgio, I h^ve dee.nod it proper to advise you thereof ou tbt tbreskol I. 1 have the honor to ba, with grent respect, your obe dicut servant, F. K. LUBBOCK. LA] [Cotifi'eiitiiL] Consulate Agency for t rance and I'ice Counulute far Spaint in (inhesion. Galvestow, August 18, l To bis Excellency F. It. Ll'BHoCK, Governor of the S<ate ol T-xtts. Slit: Will you he bin I enough to inform me confiden tially of your personal opinion on the following quei'iins: tit. The aunexatiiii of the Repnb'in of Texus to the United Hint s was or was not u good political measure ? 2d. The set of disunion Mil ot the junction of the State of Texas ti the Southern States whs or was not another Rood or had politic t .ken >?y the State? An 1, 3d. Tuo re-eHtabl'shinent of the old Republic of Texas will or wj^l n<>t be beneficial to our beloved udoptod country ? Your auswer to these questions, sir, will serve me us a guide in ruy political c irrespt.ndence wi!h tte Govern ments which 1 have the honor to represent. 1 have the honor, sir, and with very much respect, to be. your obedient servant, 11. THERON, French and Spnuibh Consul. I certify the above and foregoing to be a true copy of the origin*! now on file iu the Executive Depur ment at Austin, Texas. James Paui., Private Secretary. [B] Executive Defautmekt, Austin, Texas, Sept. !), lwt>2. B. Tiiehon, Esq., French and Spanish Consul, Galveston. Sue: Your communication of J9th ultimo W before me, and cont-nts duly noted. In answer to your first interrogatory, permit ma to say that tiie annexation of Tex?s to the United States was a ;;ood political measure. As to your second question, 1 answer most, emphatically that " the act of di .un on an l of the junction of the State of Texts to the Southern States was u good an l pre per political step." In repiy to vour third iiquiry, I h ?ve to say " the re es tablishment of the old Republic of Texa* will not be bene fical to 0'ir beloved adopted country." Texas has linked her fata with lhat of her sifters of the South. She will be true, steadfast, and victorious. I have the honor to be, Your.i very respectfully, F. R LUBBOCK. True copy of the original. James Pml, Private Secretary. [B.] Richmond, October 13, 1?62. His Excellency Jefferson Daves, President, &c. Siu : Ou to-day Mous. Taboiiflle, French Vice Consul at Richmond, sought nil introduction to me in the Senate chamber, and stated tint he desired to obtain from me certain statisticil information in regard to Texas. I told him that I did not tfce i have the tiin? to give him the de Hired information, but if h? would call at my room I would take pleasure in giviug him any information which 1 pos sessed Ho promised to call th's evening, which he did, and has ju?t left my room. I deem it proper to give you the substance of the conversation between us, ns it had a connexion with the subject-ma'ter of the correspondence between the Governor of Texas and French Coimilar Agent at Galvest<n, of which you advised Gen Wigfall and myself a few dnys since. . Aft tr I had furnixhed him with information iu regard to the area, popilition, debt, taxes, and nencu'tural productive capa-ity of Texas, he remarked that the re sources of the State were magnificent, and capable of sup porting a j-owcrful awl independent people, and then asked mo whether I thought it uou'd not he to rhe interest of the S ale to astumean independent nationality I told him that the people of Texas, being mostly emigrants from the old Southern Slaves, were s rongly attached t > those States and to our federative system of government, which I at snme length explhiiod to him. I told him that they never could have heen indued to secede from the United States but to preserve that form ot government, which was in dan ger of being destroyed. 1 further stated to him that not only the affections and sjmpath:es, but also the interests of the people (>f Texas bound them to the States of the Confederacy, that their institutions, pursuit', and agricultural products were the same, and that mutual safety required harmony amongst them, which could only bd insured by a Confede racy ; that as a separate and independent State Texas would be weak and lucapableof self-def< nc<?, that we w?ere sensible that we would ba subject to be invo'red in colli sions with our sister Southern States; that the similarity of institutions and produc'ion, which are now bonds of union and the cause <1 harmony, would become coiscg of rivalries, jea'ousies, and p -rhaps wars between the States; that in the Confederacy we would not be a weak and de pendent people, iuc ipable of resenting insult or repelling aggression. The subject was then waived, and we talked of other matteis. But for the faci jou had called my attention to the cor respondence betwee.i the Governor of Texas and the French consular agent at Galveston, this conversation would perhaps have nnde no impression upon my mind, but a* an iutro taction to me was sought by the Vice Consul, with the view to obtain statistical information in regurd lo Texas and the subject of the separate iudepen lencenf that State, wai thu* introduced by him, it struck me th*t it wa* not casual or accidental. He furthermore stated to in* that he had written to the consular agewt at Galveston for information upon the resnurcei of Texas, and had re cent d from him a specimen or sample of Texas wool, wbirh he either bad or intended to send to France. I h ive deemed it proper to communicate the foregoing to you, as afi rdin* confirmatory evidence to the conclu sion that it is the object of Louis Nspoleon. and perhaps of other of the European Powers, to induce Texas to asauma an independent nationality. The fact communicated by you to (len. Wigfall and myself put mo on my guard, and caused me to be more explicit and spec fic thiui I night otherwise have been, for the purpose of dis?ipoting such a design if it exists, and to indues whatever step* that may be taken to be f >r the benefit of the entire Confederacy. I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant, \V. 8. OLDHAM. Mr. Benjamin to Mr. Theron. [C ] Department <>k State, Richmond, Oclobtr 17,1862. Fik : The Go\< rnur of Tex?? ha* communicated to the President a co; re pondence between him and yourself, in which you plainly ntt? mpto I to induce tb?? Governor to en ter into rom? understanding or arrangement for the with drawal of Texas f-??m this Confederacy. Thi? attempt on your part in cnsid-red by the President as an abuxe of the tuspitality of the Confederacy, and as indicating hostility on your part to thia Government "nd people. Your presence within the Confederacy can no longer be permitted Y- n are therefore required to depart imme diately. and not to return Without the previous permission of thin (*ovenim-f>t I am, re<p"ctfully, your obedient ?#rt!?nt, .) P. IJKNJAM1N, Secretary of State. Mr. P. Tiifron, French Consular Agent, and Vice Consul for Spain, GjIv< stun, 'JYxas Mr. 1)( njamin to Majtr Gen.. Mugrmhr. DePARTMKKT OP STATE, Richmond, Oclobtr 17, 1382 Sir : Tic re with you will find enc'o*ed a letter addr* sued to Mr I). Thcr< n, French Con u!ar Agent and Vice Consul f >r Spain at Galveston, Texas, requiring that functionary to d-part immediately from the Confederacy. The President request* that ymi will have this order executed as promptly as enn be done without undue harsh ness, nnd that you have Mr. Ttfcron conveyed under sur veillance to MUamnros or other convenient point on the Mexican frontier, whence he can depart for Europaif he ?hooseg Mr. The on will be allowed to make such dmpOH.il of the boi.k* and p?p< r? < f hirfconsulate a? h" may deem pr oper. Please acknowledge receipt of this communicatou. Your obelient servant, J. P. HEN.IAMIN, Secretary of 8tat-?. Msj <r G? n J. H M \ONl<i)KR, Spotts^ood Hotel. Mr. Benjamin to M >n*. Tabouelle. [D.] DEPARTMENT OP 8TATP.. Richmond, Octubrr 17, 1^62. Sir: The Hon. Mr. Oldham. Senator from the 8tafe of Texas, having communicated to the President the sub stance c.f n conversation held w.th y u on the ]3'h instant, in the course of which you sought t.? impress on that Sena tor the convict on tbat it would he for th? intere t of the State of Texts to separate herself from this Confederacy, I am inatruct'-d by the Pr.*?ident to inlor.o you that your prei-ence within the Confederacy can no longer be permlt t d, your conduct being considered h isfile to this Govern ment and people. You are therefore required ?o depart from the Confede racy, and not to return w ithout th" prt vious permission of this Government. Yon will prepare to leave by the (1 ig of truce boat, which will depart on the |Hth instant. 1 have the honor to be, vour obedient servant, ,1 P BENJAMIN, S cretiry r.f State. M ns. l'ABOUILLK, Vice-Consul of France, Richmond. [E] Department op State. Richmond, October 18, lrt(>*2 Sir: I luve seen Ihe President sinco my interview with yourself a?d Mr. Giles this morning, and having taken into ronsidera'ion yo-ir explanations in relation to yonr in terview with Mr Oldham, and the other facta stated by you, ti e President is aitisHed that your conversation with Mr. Oldham was not prompted by any hostility to this Go vernment, and that you are not eonneoted with the intrigue known to exist having for i's ohj-ct to induce the with drawal of ihe State of Tenia from this Confederacy. You will therefore consider the order to depart from the Coo fedcraev an withdrawn, *nd you will femain at libt-rtv to reside here a* heretofore. Your obcdieot ?efvaut, J P BENJAMIN, Secretary of State. Mous. Tahoiki.i.r, at French Consulate, Richmond. Mr. Benjamin to Mr. Slidell. [No. 8.] Department ok State, Richmond, 'irilk October, Irt02. Hon. Joiin Slidell, do., Ac , ?fco , Paris. Win: Since writing luy No. 7 of 17th and 2<>tli instant 1 have received Irom ih?? hauls of Mr. Feirn (who arrived oil '2fith in it nit) your N:?. 10 of 25?h July, with if.i very inter* sting reports of your intei view* with the Emperor of the French and Mr. Ttiouvenel. 1 bad previously re ceived (on 21st instant) your private letter of Jrtth September, forwnrdel tnrough Mr. Mason, thiB last bav in* reached me in a shorter time than any communica tion hitherto had w th Europe,and demonstrating the great value of the new mean* of intercourse now opeued ai d which we hop-) to maintain. Mr. Ma*on will explain to you the (lets its of the new arrangement, and your b-st course will be to forward your future dispatches through him. The voluminous content# of your despatch and that o! Mr. Mason have prevented their communication t? the Preaideut, with whom I desire to confer before answering you. The President ii for the luonieut deeply engaged in military matter*, and in endeavors to repair by new com bination* the evil? resulting from the failure of the Ken tucky campaign, which has eve itunted in nope of the h*p pyconeequenoes whieh we to confidently hoped. The only Rain has been the capture of a very large niunu it of sup pli -s. I have no time to aid any thine by this conveyance, but another opportunity will otter in a few day a for u full do "patch. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, J P. BENJAMIN, Secretary < f Sla'e. P. S ?Mr*. Davis bey* me to *ay that she anticipate* with eagerness Ihe promised left r from your daughter, which baa not yet reached Richmond. Mr. Benjamin to Mr. Dc Leon. [No. 2.] Department of State, Richmond, December l!l, 1862. Siu: I avail myself of an unexpected opportunity to acknowledge receipt of your No.<. 1 and 2. They have been read with lively iutere*t, and you will not fail to keep the Department fuliy advised of your conclu-ious lis to the probable action of Europe in Power*, h* lust as their views are develnpsd, eith r through lb" pre** or other agencies. The Presideut ha* been so fully occupied with military matters that it bus been scarcely possible for me to confer with him at length on the mitt-i* suggested by you, and he has ju-t dcpaited very suddenly for a tour in the South west,' where his presence wa* greatly needed to restore affairs and to impart renewed energy and activity to our military operations. On his return 1 will t ike measures t> forward you aldi | tionsl mean* to enable you to extend the>field of your <p;> ratinns, and to embrace, if possible, the pre** of Central Europe hi >our campa'gn. Austria and Prussia, as well as the smaller Germanic Power*, se^m t > requite intelli gence of the true condition of oijf afl'iir* and of the nature of our struggle, and it is to be hoped you may fin I mean* to act wilh efficiency in moulding public op nion in those countries. Wten I *( nd you a remittnee, on the return of the Pre sident, (at rhe end of this mouth,) I will give you my view* m ire at ltrge. The bearer of thi* goes in part to complete arrangements for more prompt communication, and I hope that for the future my despatches will retch Europe more rcgu'arly and promptly. Your t bedient servant, J P. BENJAMIN, Secretary of State. Edwin de Leon, Esq. Care of IIou. John Slidell, ?fcc , Palis. Mr. Benjamin to Mr. Mason. [Duplicate] [No. 7 ] Depaktmknt of State, ( Richmond, September 2fi, 18tr2. Hon. Jamf.s M. Mason, dfco. &.e &.e , London. SlR: 8ir.ee my No. G, of 19th July, I have revived three communications from you, (not numbered,) all of which arrived on the 25th August 1 also received duplicate of your No 11, oflGth lliy. To your geuer&l despatch of 23d June the number 12 has been affixed To another despatch of same date, in re lation t<? a newly invented gunpowder, the numbei 13 has been affixed ; and to your despatch of 21th June, in rela tion to counterfeit issue* of the Confederate Treasury notes and other Southern paper currency, the number 14 has been affixed. I pray you to mak-) your own numbers conform to these, and to notify your secretary of this over sight, that it may not be repeated. Your number* 4, 5, ti, 7. and 8 are still missing, and, for the regularity of the archives of the Department. I beg you to forward duplicates of them _ [Here the body of this despatch to Mr. M*$on is pre cisely th? same wilh that addresned to Mr. Slidell, uudrr date of Richmond, September 2Gth, 1862, a* above printed It concludes r.a follows:] I enc'ose you, for information, copy of a despatch sent to Mr. Mann on the subject of a recent convention between the Lnitel Sta'es ar.d the King of Denmark relative to Africans captured from sliver* at sea. It may be wr|| to have an eye to the moveftttlits of the enemy in the disposal of slaves captured from r.iir peopl ?, and you will perceive by the instructions to Mr. Mann what are the President's vhwa on thi* interesting nutter. I most again request of yon to hive communicated to Mr. Mann a copy of that part of this despatch which re late* to the war and present state of the country, as it is out of my power to write to him by this conveyance. I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant, J. P. BENJAMIN, Secretary of State. Mr. Benjamin to Mr. Ml ton. [No. 8 ] Department of State, Richmond. Oc'obcr 2S, lnt?2. Hon. James M. Mason, JLc. &c. &c , London Sir : Since my No. 7, of v?lith ultimo, I have had the pleasure of receiving your Nos. 14, 15, 16, and 17. dated 1 respective y 30lh July, 5th Auguft, 18th September, and J8.b September The two Litter were received by special ' me^e.ig r, who reached Richmond on the 21st i< stant The two former were delivered by Mr. Fearn, who did not arrive till 25 h in?tant. 1 he contents of Nog 14 and 15 are so voluminous (snd they were accompanied by others of equal l-uih from Mr. Slidell) that 1 h*v? not yet b en able to confer with Ihe President in relation to tbem, end shall therefore defer re plying, the more esperially as I shall have auother oppi r tui ity of forwaiding despatches in a vferjr few days. I he arrangements made by the bearer of de?patch.?* 1(> and 17, for fnc.litntiig intercourse between us, have been approved, and will be continued a* long as succecsful. The details will be explained to yi u by the bearer of this de spatch (Mr George Sanders) in person 1 he subject of a loan, ba-ed on cotton certificates, ha* been fully considered, and you will receive herewith a com munication from the Secretary of the Treasury info m nj; you of the conclusions reached' by u* after much delibera tion. I communicated to the Sroretary your tender of services in connexion with this matter, and he requests me tocxpres* his thanks and to solicit your aid and co-opera tion in sny movement* that nny b* made to aecure success by Mr Spence, to whom the Government has con fid d the busine s, in consequence eh i fly of your rroomioendstton. He had been appointed to take chirge of other negotiations before the receipt of your last despatches Tl.e President desires me t > expr-'g? his unproral and satisfaction with your conduct in assuming, under the cir cumstances, the responsibility of making the arrangements necessary for the success of Capt. Sinclair in hi* arrange ments for building a ship. It is gratifying to perceive that y u harl. as wa. confi dently inticips|ed, reviewed your impression*, and deter mined n;?t tf> withdraw from London without th* previ us in.itiuc ions of the President Your correspondence with Earl Russell shows with whit rc\nt court-sy you h:ive been treated, and,exhibits a marked contrast between the conduct of the English and Krrnch statesmen now in office in their intercourse w,th foreign agents envnently discred itable to the former It is lamentable that at this late ne rual in the nineteen'h century a nation so enlightened as (treat Bntain should havo fsilcd yet to discover thst a principal cause of the dislike and hatred towards England, of which complaint* an* rife in hf|* Parliament nnd in h?r pres?, i? the i fl nsive anvganre of some of her public men w striking between tbe polished oonrtesy of Mr. 1 houven-1 ?nd the rude incivility of Earl Rua?ell. Your del erm inn'ion to subiiiit. to th-'se annoyances in tbe service of your country and to overlook personil slight*, whilo hope remmii* that your continued prearncc in Eng land may be^fit our rnune, cannot fail to meet the warm approval of your G ive nmont. I rrfrain, however, from further comment ou the c< nteo'.s of your despatches till the attention of the President (n 'W conc -ntraled on efforts lo repair tfe ill effect* of the f*ilure of the Kentucky cam paign) can be directed to your correspondence with Earl Rusecll. I am, sir, your obedient servant, J; P. BENJAMIN, Secretary of State. CORRESPONDENCE OP CONFEDERATE TREA SURY AND NAVY DEPARTMENTS. Mr. Memmingtr to Mr. Matin. [ Duplica'e ] Treasury Department, C. S A. Richmond, October 24, lHti2. Hon. J M. Masojj, Commissioner Confederate States. London: Sir : The cotton certificate forwarded in your despatch to the Secretary of 8tat?? haa be?'n carefully examined, and upon do* consideration of th ? views expreaael by you, a"d the probably** ilitv of the QsTsrMNpt to furivsh cottori, I to m of certificate ha? been ad ?pt-d somewhat diffiiiug Fsotu jours. Tee differeuoe* ?re ai vers I 1. In price. It hM been deemed best to fix tbis at five pence btdtliug. This form of stating the price has been tHi pt?d iu prefer sue.) t> cent*,-b^eiuse it expresses the rate to be pad for the cotton here, in a currency which is understood to carry a light to it* value in L'juduu. Tbua, five pence sterling would imply a right to receive that amount iu Lnudou, or eo much of our currency m would be required to purchase five pence sterling. At the pre ent rate of exchange, this would amount to twenty-five cent*. It ia t touglit that this wuu'd not be tco high a price to demand. 2. The cotton ia made deliverable at oertain porta instead of any t ort at" the option of tbe holder. Tint change ia required by the fact that ino-t of our cotton i? at tbe West; ant) if ti Urge portion >hou'd bs required at an Atlaot'c port, it would he impossible to perform the contract. It ia, therefore, propo?ed to iaane sep.ra'e ceitiflcat-t for the Gulf and Atlantic porta iu auch amouuta aa cau be delivered nt each. 3. The certificate* are demandab'e only after peac\ and witbia tin month* thereafter. It would be impossible to transport the cotton to uny great amount until that period. To provide, however, for auch cases as might deaire to run the blockade, it in proposed that for aoiue premium, to be adjusted by yourself, you should place in the contract an uddi tiooal clause aa follows, which you are authorized to add: "The Government further ag'ees to deliver tbe cotton called for in this certificate ut uuy lime luring the pending v* <tr, nt any port within its pos ession, (if p ueiicable to trans port the lotton to the poit selected,) upon tbe payment by the holder of the coat of trausportutiou.'' 4. Iu case, by aceideut or otherwise, tbe holder should omit to make bis demand within this periol, the certificate u not forfeited, but the Government has the option to de liver the cotton or return the amount paid, say one thou sand dollars, with interest at six per cent, from the i?aue o? tin*, certificate. 5. An additional formality ia added iu requiring your en dorsement. This addition has been made to guard against c. ipt'ire or leas of Iho certificates on their way to Europe, and also to give nn t ificial supervision there. I now send, by Mr G. N Hinders, one thousand certifi catea for the Gu'f porta, and five hundred for the Atlantic. In order to have th< paym-uts put iu proper form you had better depositetbe certificates w.th our depositaries, Messrs. Fraser, Trenbolm & Co., nt Liverpool, directing them to receive the money and depi site the cams to the credit of the Trea-urer of the Confederate States. Ttiis will place matters iu a business form and relieve you of the necessity of keeping accounts. In order tli-it you may act understanding^, permit me to apprize you of such financial arrangements aa have al ready been made. At your tuggeation. I have appointed Mr. James Spenoe, of Liverpool, financial agent, and have requested hiin to negotiate for the m'c of five millons of dollars of our eight per cent. bonds, if be cau realize fi'ty per oent on them. 1 have already rent over two millions of the bond*, and will send another million in a week or ten daya. Mr. Spence is directed ;o confer with Messrs. Praaer, Trenholm &Cu , who h td previously been made our depositaries at Liver pool. Had I known with certainty where you were, I would ul- o have referred him to you, and I would thank you now to place yourself in correspondence with him. I have also directed Mr. Spence to endeavor to negotiate for tbe application of two and u half millions of coin (which 1 have here) for the purchase nf supplies and munilk-ns for our army. I hope that this coin will be ?coepted by Bri tish houses in payment at the rate nf sterling in England, legs freight and insurance. It seems to me that, up>o ita transfer to Uriiish owners, they could obtain transport* t.io-i for it on their ves*el* of war from any Coufeuerate port, inasmuch as it would be bona fide British property, atid in any ev jnt tbe holder of the transfer would have a certain security. A difference has been made by our Congress in acme of its appropriations for the navy Those for building vessels are payable in bonds. It follows, therefore, that a discri mination must b t made in tb* eppl cation of funds from the different sources of revenue, of which you will take notice. Under the act of Congress uuthor'zing ms to accept pro duce in exchange for bonds, (of which I enclose a copy,) 1 have procured a consideiabb amount, which is stored ou pinritatiotis or in w irehou-es. I send you a c ipy of one of the cerlificates taken for the cotton. These certificates it is propoel to ? ff<?r for sale in Europe. They wou'd give to the purchaser an absolute light to the particular lot of cotton, with the ptivilege of shipping the same, and may b^ preferred by some purchasers. Iu conclusion, all .w uie to requast your co-operation in the e various plans, and auy suggestion* which your ex* perience and observation may deem proper. Kespoctfully, your obedient servant, C. G. MEMMINGEH, Secretary of Treasury. An Act t') au'h -rize the Exchange of Bmd? for arliclcs in kind, and the shipment, sale, or hypothe cation of such articles Sec. 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of Amer ica do en ict. That the Secret iry of the Treasury be, aud be i* hereby, authorized to exchange the bonds or stocks of the Confederate States for auy articles in kud which mny be required for the use of tbe Government, the said articles to be valued according to such regulations as the sVid Secretary shall make Sec 2. It tha'l be ttie duty of the Commissary aud Quartermaster Generals to direct their various officers to receive, at the plane of purchase, all such articles pur chased as are applicable to their several departments, and to apply the same in the same m inner as if purchased directly by themselves; and the officer to whom each article is delivered shall be charged with tbe value a* declared by the purchase, and Khali be bound to account for the same. Sec ;> The *nid Secretary is also auth >nzed to accept, for the use of the Government, in exchange for the said bond* or stock, cotton, tobacco, and other agricultural products in kind, which have been subscribed to the produce loan, or which may be Mibscribel in kind, at such rates as may be ndjuated between the pnrties aud the agents of tbe G <viT imerit: Provided, That iu no event shall he reaeive of cotton or tobacco a greater value than thirty-five millions of dollars ; and the said Secret iry is further authorized to deposit the same at such places as he shall deem proper, and to procure advances thern.n by hypothecation, or to rhip the same abroad, or to sell the same at home or abroad a* ho may deem best; aud to assist these operations the said Secretary may issue Produce Certificate*, which shall entitle the pn ty to w bom issued, or his endorsee, to receive the produce therein set forth, and to ship the same to any neutral port in conformity with tbe l?ws of tbe Confederate States. 8 c. 4. The Secretary of tbe Treasury may, from time to time, appoint and disnrss such agent* as he may deem requisite to cirry into effect the provisions of this aot. Their compensati on shall be a brokerage upon tbe business completed by tin ui at such rates as the Secretary of the Treasury shall adju-t by general regulation. ?oc. 5. The Secretary of the Treasury may, from tiino to time, issue regulations for carrying out all the details involved iu the provisions of this act, which shall be obli gatory up n nil parties concerned therein. Approved, April 21, ISti'J. Confuhrnte Slates of America. $1000 noM), Cotton Certificate. . No. ?? . T his is to certify, that , oj (U the proprie tf?r of twenty b*len of cotton*'..f 10.0CM) I he weight, rating New Orleans Midiling ht nv? pence sterling, which thail be delivered by the Government of the Confederate Stntea of America to ??, or order, at the port of Charleston or Savannah, subject only to fhirges for compressing, put ting on bc'-rd whip, and existing government duet, the latter not exceeding one-eighth of one cent per pound 1 he cotton will be delivered an anon ?? demmdeJ by the holder < f thin cert ficate, upon the Government reoeiving t hi 'ty day a' notice of such demand. The demand mnst be made within tie six months after the declaration of praro between the present b''lliger.Mits in America; in default of a demand Within (hit period, thi? certificate may be dis clitrsfpd by payment of one thousand dollars, with interest at the rate of nix per cent per annum, from the date of issue endorsed hereon. This certificate will confer no right until verified an<ten dirsed by the Commissioner of the Confederate States in (Jreat Britain. In testimony whereof, the Register of tho Treasury batb her Hutu affixed his name and th* seal of the Treasury De partment, at Richmond, this first day of November, 1862. , Register of Treasury. Cop)) of " Produce Certificate." Heir, enter the ?riiylit ?/ the halm only, ami tkv.ir marfcir. 42 bales good ordinary cotton, marks d C. 8. A., and 15 bsl-s middling cotton, of same mark. 401 103 455 5? bales. Aggregate weight 437 515 515 26.218, at H| $22,94.07 442 488 500 462 4.V* 4HS State of Mississippi: 428 490 461 Com.ty of Madison. 505 479 4!H) Town, or p >?tofRoe, Canton. 3S8 458 422 The undersigned having 508 4<>0 448 sold 111 he Conf'der'e States 451 412 451 of America, and received the 413 423 458 value of same in bonds, the 4^W 467 450 receipt whereof is hereby 4.">7 468 465 acknowledged, 57 halea of 476 478 451 cotton, marked, numbered, 413 461 483 and rlsased as in the msrgin, 41U 437 461 which are now deposited at 4!k"> 432 his plantation in said nounty, 466 466 6,1195 her-'by agrees W> take dike 433 453 lbs. mid. care of said cotton while on 451 453 bi< plantation, and to deliver ?? ? - the same at his own ex penae, 453 9 6% at Cant<>n, on^ the N. O. I. 46H 9,538 & G. N. Rolioal, in the State of Mississippi, to the 9,53rt 19,223 lbs ord? r of the Secretary of the good ord Treasury, or bis ag-nt?, or their assigns. Thou G. Smith. Cahton, Ann 6, 1862. The nnd-rsigned, as sgent of the Government, certifier that the within cottoo has been examined by bim, an 1 that