The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-30 00:00:00

The Confederate Mission to Washington,

The correspondence between President Davis and
the Hon. A. H. Stephens, relating to the Confede-
rate mission to Washington, has been published.
It is evident from these letters that the object was
nat a political one, but referred exclusively to the
exchange of prisoners. The lolowing is the letter
of President Davis:—

" Richmond, July 2.
" Hon. A. H. Stephens, Richmond, Va.
" Sir,—Having accepted your patriotic offer to
proceed as a military commissioner under a flag of
truce to Washington, you will receive herewith
your letter of authority to the commander-in-chief
of the army and navy of the United States.
"This letter is signed by me as commander-in-
chief of the Confederate land and naval forces.

" You will perceive, from the terms of the letter,
that it is so worded as to avoid any political diffi-
culties in its reception. Intended exclusively as one
of those communications between belligerents which
public law recognises es necessary and proper be-
tween hostile forces, care has been taken to give no
pretext for refusing to receive it on the ground that
It would involve a tacit recognition of the indepen-
dence of the Confederacy.

" Your mission is simply one of humanity, and
has no political aspect. If objection is made to re-
ceiving your letter on the ground that it is not ad-
dressed to Abraham Lincoln as President, instead
of commander-in-chief, &c., then you will present
the duplicate letter, which is addressed to him as
President, and signed by me as President. To this
letter objection may be made on the ground that I
am not recognised to be President of the Confederacy.
In this event you will decline any further attempt
to confer on the subject of your mission, as such
conference is admissible only on the tooting of per-
tect equalit

" My recent interviews with you have put you so
tally in possession of my views that it is scarcely
necessary to give you any detailed instructions,
even were I at this moment well enough to at-
tempt it.

" My whole process is, it one word, to place this
war in the footing of such as are waged by civilis.ed
people in modern times, and to divest it of the
savage character which has been impressed on it by
our enemies, in spite of all our efforts and protests.
War is full enough of unavoidable horrors, under
all its aspects, to justify and even to demand, of
any Christian ruler who may be unhappily engaged
in carrying it on, to seek torestrict itscalamities, and
to divest it of ail unnecessary severities. You will
endeavour to establish the cartel for the exchange
of prisoners on such a basis as to avoid the constant
difficulties and complaints which arise, and to pre-
vent for the future what we deem the unfair con-
duct of our enemies in evading the delivery of the
prisoners who fall into their hands; in retarding it
by sending them on circuitous routes, and by de-
paining them, sometimes for months, in camps and
prisons, and in persisting in taking captive non-
combatants.

" Your attention is also called to the unheard-of
conduct', of Federal officers in driving from their
homes entire communities of women and children,
as well as of men, whom they find in districts occu-
pied by their troops, for no other reason than be-
cause these unfortunates are faithful to the alle-
giance due to their States, and refuse to take an
oath of fidelity to their enemies. The putting to
death of unarmed prisoners has-been a ground of just
complaint in more than one instance, and the recent
execution of our officers in Kentucky, for the sole
cause that they were engaged in recruiting service
in a state which is claimed 'as still one
of the United States, but is also claimed by
us as one of the Confederate States, must be re-
pressed by retaliation if not unconditionally aban-
doned, because it would justify the like execution
in every State of the Confederacy, and the practice
is barbarous, uselessly cruel, and can only lead to
the slaughter of prisoners on both sides, a result too
horrible to contemplate without making every effort
to avoid it. On these and all kindred subjects you
will consider your authority full and ample to make
such arrangements as will temper the present cruel
character of the contest, and full confidence is pieced
in your judgment, patriotism, and discretion, that,
while carrying out the objects of your mission, you
will take care that the equal rights of the Confede-
racy be always preserved.—Very respectfully,
(Signed) "JEFFERSON DAVIS."

Mr. Stephens concludes his report by stating :
—" Tne efbrt, for the very many and cogent
reasons set forth in your letter of instructions
to me, to See if these differences could not be
removed, an;:t if a clearer understanding
between the parjes as to the general conduct of
the war could not be k;_rrived at before this extreme
measure should be resorted o by either party, was
no less in accordance with the dictates of humanity
han in strict conformity with th; usuages of belli-
gerents in modern times. Deeply impressed as I
was with these views and feelings, in undertaking
the mission and asking the conference, I can but
express my profound regret at the result of the effort
made to obtain it, and I can but entertain the be-
lief that if the conference sought had been granted,
mutual good could have been effected by it ; and if
this war, so unnatural, so unjust, so unchristian,
and so inconsistent with every fundamental prin-
ciple of American constitutional liberty, must
needs' continue to be waged against us, that at
least some of its severer horrors, which now so
eminently threaten, might have been avoided."

Postage on Letters, &c., for India and China,
by French Packet.

The following arrangements have been made with the
French Post-office by which, after the Ist Augua t next,
letters and printed papers may be forwarded to India and
China by the French line of mail packets, at the same
rates of postage as aro chargeable on letters and printed
papers sent via Marseilles for conveyance by 13ritish
packet :

Letters addressed to Aden, Ceylon, Madras, Calcutta, and
Pondicherry—Not exceeding oz., 10d ; above k oz. and
not exceeding 1 oz., is 8d ; above 1 oz. and not exceeding
2 ozs., 3s 4d ; above 2 ozs. and not exceeding 3 ozs 5s ;
each additional ounce, is Bd. Letters addressed to Cochin.
China, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Singapore—Not ex-
ceeding A oz., is 4d; above A oz. and not exceeding I oz.,
2s 8d; above 1 oz and not exceeding 2 ozs,, 5s 4d ; above
2 ozs. anJ not exceeding 3 ()is , 88; each additional ounce,
28 Bd.

Newspapers 3d each, not exceeding 4 oz. Other• printed
papers not exceeding 4 oz., 61. above 4 oza. and not ex-
ceeding ilb, Is ; above ilb and not exceeding 1l b, 2s ; e very
additional :11b, is. Letters, &c., intended to be forwarded
by these packets must be specially addressed—" By Fmnch
Mail Packet for Marseilles."

Upon letters for Ceylon the postage must be prepaid, but
upon those for the British poseessions in India and Kong
Kong, the postage may either be paid in advance, or left to
be paid on delivery, at the optiun of the sender.
In all cases, however, where the postage is not prep aid,
an additional rate will be charged on delivery.

The prepay ment at postage on letters for eondiche rry,
Saigon (Cochin China), and Shanghai (at whi"h ph ices
France has Post-office agents) is optional, without any fine
for those saint unpaid.

The postage on newspapers, books, and other printed
papers must in all cases be prepaid according to the rel gula-
Lion in force with respect to similar articles sent by the
British packets.

The French packets leave Marseilles on the 19th of each
month fur Alexandria, in correspondence with a line from
Suez proceeding to Aden, Point-de-Galle, Madras, Cal-
cutta, Singapore, Cochin Caine, Hong Kong, and Shang-
hai. Letters, &c., intended to be forwarded by them must
be posted in, or reach London, at the latest 1n time for the
day mail to France of the 18th.

PROPOSED MAIN TRUNK UNDERGROUND RAIL-
WAY.—A company of highly influential gentlemen
is now in course of formxtion, for the purpose of carrying
out the scheme of Mr. Charles Baylis, for a perfect system
of metropolitan railway communication. The proposed main
trunk underground line of railway is to commence at Strat-
ford, in the county of Essex, to be carried down the Bow,
Mile.end, and Whitechapel roads, through the City, down
Holborn, Oxford-street, and Bayswater-road, and terminate
at Shepherd's-bush, in the county of Mildlesex. In con-
nection with the construction of this line of railway, it is
also suggested that lour lines of rails at the least should be
made, and chambers should also be constructed for deposit-
ing gas and water pipes, telegraph wires, &c., and for
any other purposes that may be considered advisable.
The result of such a system of communication being carried
into effect would be not ouiy to relieve the overcrowded
treet traffic of the metropolis, but to confer immense ad-
vantage on the community at large, and iiie only regret is
that the realisation of the grand idea of Mr. Baylis has been
so long delayed. As a commercial speculation there cannot
be a doubt of its proving remunerative, and Mr. Baylis has
ow beet wishes for success in his great enterprise,