Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-01-17
SATURDAY, JANUARY IL, 1868.
INTERCEPTED CORRESPONDENTS.

We need not direct the attention of our readers
to the novel g FOREIGN CoRREsPoNDENcE" which
will be found in another part Of to-days Intelligcn-
GER These official papers, which make up curl
Gus and interesting exposition Of affairs in the
Southern Confederacy," were recently intercepted
by the Government, and have been placed in our
hands for publication.
The documents naturally fall under several CLASH
fications, according to the Executive Departments
from which they cmanate at Richmond, and the
subjcct-matters on which they treat. Wegive pri
GRITTY, as first in political dignity and interest to
the dispatches addressed by the Hon, JUDAH P.
BENJAMIN, the Confederate Secretary of State, to
the diplomatic agents commissioned to represent
the ,Confedcracy in Europe and especially at
the Courts of London and Paris These commu-
nications, as we have elsewhere said, will be found
to give rSouth-side view Of political and mill
tary affairs, as apprehended at Richmond at the
several dates on which they were written. The
report they make of military operations" is
equally remarkable for the exaggerated statements
with which the correspondence opens in regard to
the Virginia campaign of the last summer and
autumn, and for the tone of dependency with
attending the movements of Gen. Bragg in Ken
lucky.
But perhaps the most interesting portion Of this
diplomatic correspondence will be found in the ex
position it makes respecting the supposed discovery
Of political "ntrigue" believed to have been set
on foot by consular agent of the French Govern
ment, resident at Galveston, for the purpose of de-
tachiug the State of Texas from the Southern
Confederation. Grave reasons of State aggrandizc-
ment, confirmed by historical traditions Of French
policy, and by present military operations in Next
co, are assigned by Mr. Benjamin the probable
motives which may have induced the French EN-
peror to countenance this plot against the integrity
of the Confederate Government, it, indeed, it
shall be found, the Confederate Secretary fears,
that the consular agent at Galveston has not acted
without receiving his inspirations from the Gov
eminent he represents. Mr. Slidell while cautioned
to proceed circumspectly, is accordingly instructed
to give this matter thorough investigation, and
arguments are furnished by which the suscepti-
bilties and ambition>of England may be played off
against the probable schemes of the French EN-
peror
1t further appears from this interesting CORE
spondence that the reception awarded by Earl Rus
sell to Mr.. Commissioner Mason at London is not
such as COMFORTS with the latter's sense of pro-
priety, or with the expectations of the Confederate
authorities at Richmond. Mr.. Mason is, however,
complimented for his self-abnegation in consenting
to remain at his post notwithstanding the can
noyances" to which he conceives himself subjected
by the evident GOODNESS of the British Secretary of
State for Foreign Affairs.
The second portion of this correspondence re-
ates to the European operations of the Confederate
Treasury aud Navy Departments. Mr. Memmin-
ger explains tho schemes devised for raising money
in England by the hypothecation of cotton in the
Confederate States. The modus operandiby which
that coin may be transmitted in British naval
vessels, from the blockaded ports, to be employed
in England for war purchases ard payments, re-
ceives eucidation at the hands of the Confederate
Secretary of the Treasury, while the use to which
a portion of the funds is to be put finds explana.
ton in the accompanying correspondence of Mr.
Mallory, the Confederate Secretary of the Navy.
The utility of irou-cad vessels, and the means by
which they are to be procured in England, form
the burden of these interesting papers. From
them we learn, too, the names of the I" financial
agents" Of the "Southern Confederacy" in Eng.
land, and what "houses" are ready to gil the
military and naval orders received from Rich
mopd.
Il is gratifying to observe that the literary zeal
Of Mr.. Spence in the cause Of the insurgents has
not gone unrewarded Whether this al has pro-
cured for him the appointment he holds at the
hand of the Richmond authorities, or whether the
appointment explains his zeal, We will not under
take to say.
1t may surprise some persons to fnd Mr.. Geo
N, Sanders playing "top part in the negotia-
tons looking to the construction of iron -cads'
in England He figures also as the diplomatic
courier of the Richmond Government
1t is not necessary for us to interpret the sig
nifcance or comment on the revelations of these
curious and instructive papers They may be
regarded in many aspects, and will furnish mate
rial for future discussion. For the present we re-
nit them to the pcrusal aud appreciation of our
readers, who will not fail to find in them food for