The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-07-23

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teresting. The hmpudence of the man
Davis in refusing TO address the Pfesi-
dent rs such, is Characteristic of Mis-
sissippi parsenus:
Hos. A. Fl. STEPHRSs on MISSION no
wAsHINaToN-HE is NOT ALLOWED TO
PRoeEEp FURTHER THAN NEWPORT
Naws-Hrs MISSION REJEcrEp-THE
FEDERAL ArrHoRITfEs CONSIDER 1.-THE
AUTHORIZED CHANNELS" SUFFICIENT.
The following correspondence will
explain itself:
RICHMOND, July 2, 1863
Hon. A. Il. ,Stephe,is Richmond, IA:
SIR-Having accepted your patriotic
offer to proceed as Military Commits
sioner, under flag OF truce, TO Washing
ton, you will receive herewith yonr letter
of authority TO the COMMANDMENT Chief
of the army and navy Of the United
States.
The letter is signed by me, as Com
mander in Chief of the Confederate land
and naval forces.
You will perceive from the terms of
the letter that il is SO worded as TO avoid
any political difficulties in its reception.
Intended exclusively as one of those
communications between belligerents
which public law recognizes as necessa-
~ and proper between hostile forces,
care has been taken to give no pretext for
refusing TO receive it on The ground that
it would involve tscit recognition of
the independence of the Confederacy.
Your mission is simply one of hu-
manity, and has no political aspect.
If objection is made to receiving your
letter, ON the ground that it is not adj
dressed to Abraham Lincoln, as Presi-
dent, instead of Commsnder-in-Chief, &C.,
then you will present the duplicate let
ter, which is addressed to him, as Presi-
dent, and signed by me, as President
To this latter objection may be made on
the ground that l am not recognized to
be President of the Confederacy. In this
event, you will decline any further at
tempt to confer on the subject of your
mission, as such conference is admissa-
bic only on 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 instructions, even
were 7, at this moment, well enough to
attempt it.
My whole purpose 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 il of the savage
character which has been impressed on
ii by our enemies, in spite of all our eff
forts aid protests. War is full enough
of unavoidable horrors, under ali its
aspects, to justify, and even to demand,
of anv Christian rulers who may be un-
happily engaged in carrying il on, to seek
to restrict its cslsmsties, aud 10 diyest
it of ali unnecessary seventies. You
will endeayor 10 establish the cartel for
the exchange o. prisoners on such basis
as TO avoid the constant difficulties and
complaints which arise, and 20 prevent,
for the future, what we deem the unfair
conduct of our en-. mics in eVadiDg the
delivery Of the prisoners who fall into
their hands in retarding il by sending
them on circuitous routes, and by deiain-
ing them, sometimes for months, in camps
and in prisons, and in persisting in tax
ing captiyes non combatants.
Your attention is also called to The
unheard Of conduct Of Federal officers
in driving from their homes entire COM
munities of women and children, az 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 fldeli-
ty to their enemies.
The putting 10 death of unarmed pris-
oners has been ground of just COM
plant in more than one instance, and
the recent executions Of officers of our
army in Kentucky, for the sole cause
that they were engaged in recruiting SER
vice in 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 repressed by retaliation
if not Internationally abandoned, be-
cause it would justify the like execu-
tion in every other State of the Confed-
eracy, 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 with
out making every effort to avoid 1t.
On these and all kindred subject you
will consider your authority full and
ample TO make such arrangements as
will temper the present cruel characA
ter Of the contest, and full confidence is
placed in your judgment, patriotism and
discretion that while carrying out the
objects of your mission you will take
care that the equalrights of the Confed.
eracy be always preserved.
Very respectfully,
(Signed) JEFFERSON DAVIS.