The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-07-31
Stephens Mission to Washington

Stephens Mission to Washington
His Instructions from Jeff. Davis,
and How the Scheme Failed.
Rebel Trick to Obtain Recognition.
The Richmond papers publish the fol-
lowing correspondence between JEFF. DAVIS
and ALEXANDER II. STEPHENS, concerning
the mission of the latter to Washington at
the time he was summarily snubbed and
sent back with his Confederate F" gun
| boat:
JEFF. DAVIS INSTRUCTIONS TO STEPHENS.
RICHMOND, July ?, 1868.
Hen. Il. II. Stephens, Richmond, "a:
SIR: Having accepted your patriotic offer to
| proceed as Military Commissioner, under a
| flag of truce to Washington, you will receive
herewith your letter of authority to the Com
mander-in- Chief of the army and navy of the
United States. This letter is signed by me, as
Commander-in-Ch Chief of the Confederate land
| and naval forces
| You will perceive, from the terms Of the let
| ter, that it is SO wOrded as to avoid any poll
tical difficulties in its reception. Intended ex-
| clusively as one of those communications be-
| tween beligerents which public law recognizes
| as necessary and proper between hostile forces,
care has been taken to give no pretext for re-
fusing to receive it on the ground that it would
involve a tacit recognition of the independence
| of the COnfederacy
| Your mission is simply one of humanity. and
| has no political aspect.
If objection is made to receiving your letter.
on the ground that it is not addressed to Abra-
| ham Lincoln as President, instead of Com
mander-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 am not recognized to be Presi-
| dent 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 Oh the footing of perfect
| equality.
My recent interviews with you have put you
SO fully in possession of my views that it is
scarcely necessary to give you any detailed in
structions, even were l, at this moment, well
enough to attempt it.
My whole process is, in one word, to place
this war on the footing of such as are waged by
civilized people in modern times, and to divest
it of the savage character which has been i'm
pressed on it by our enemies, in spite of all our
efforts and protests. War is full enough of un-
avoidable horrors, under all its aspects, to JUS
tify, and even to demand, of any Christian ruler
who may be unhappily engaged in carrying it
on, to seek to restrict its calamities, and to d.
vest it of all necessary seventies. You will
endeavor to establish the cartel for the eX-
change of prisoners on such basis as to avoid
the constant difficulties and complaints which
arise, and to prevent, for the future what we
deem the unfair conduct of our enemies in
evadiEg the delivery of the prisoners who fall
into their hands rpt1r0inp if nv carHjno
them on circuitous routes, and by OBTAINING
them, sometimes for months in camps and
prisons, and in perssting in taking captive nom
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 occupied by their troops, for no other
| reason than because these unfOrtunates are
faithful to the allegiance due to their states and
refuse to take an oath of fidelity to their
enemies.
! has been ground OF just complaint in more
than one instance, and the recent execution of
officers of our army in Kentucky, for the sole
| cause that they were engaged in recruiting
| service in State which is claimed as still one
of the United States, but is also claimed by US
as one oft Confederate States must be re-
pressed by retaliation, If not Internationally
abandoned; because it would justify the like
execution in every other State of the Confede-
racy, 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 conf
dence is placed 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 Confederacy be always
| preserved.
Very respectfully,
JEFFERsON DAVIS.
Mr.. STEPHENS REPORTS THE FAILURE OF HIS
| MISSION.
! RICHMOND, July 8, 1868.
His Ercelency, Je.G. Dacis:
| SIR: Under the authority and instructions of
| your letter to me on tie "a instant, / proceed
ed on the mission therein assigned without de-
lay. The steamer Torpedo commanded by
Lieutenant Hunter Davidson, of the Navy, was
| put in readiness as soon as possible, by order
of the Secretary of the Navy, and rendered for
the service. At noon, on the Sd she started
down James river, hosting and bearing flag
of truce after passing City Point. The next
day (the 4th), at about one o'clock p. M, when
within few miles of Newport News, we were
met by small boat of the enemy, carrying two
guns, which also raised white flag before ap-
preaching us.
The officer in command informed Lieutena,
| Davidson, that he had orders from Admir-
| Lee, on board the United States flag ship Min
nesOta, lying below and then in view, not to
allow any boat or vessel to pass the point near
which he was stationed without his permission.
By this officer I sent to Admiral Lee a note
stating my objects and wishes, a copy of which
is hereunto annexed, marked A. also sent
to the Admiral, to be forwarded, another in the
same language, addressed to the officer in COM
tress Monroe. The gunboat proceeded imme-
diately to the Minnesota with these dispatches.
while the Torpedo remained at anchor. Be
tween three and four o'clock, P. NJ, another
boat came up to us, bearing the Admirals an
swer, which is hereunto annexed, marked B.
We remained at or about this point, in the
until tho 9Th instant when hax,