The dollar weekly bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1862-1864, 1863-07-30
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ROSS & R0SSEiR, Publishers.
Important from the South.

Important from the South. Il.
: The Mission of Alexander II. Stephens
Washingtor-Ihs Object oft Officially E!
pLained-H has no Political Aspect Sim
ply yinthe Zateresto of Humanity - Instructio,
frOnsJeftrson DGvis-S Stephens's Reply. d
From the Richmond papers of the 1at
and 14th, just received. we compile the fol
; lowing interesting extracts:
--...,,..,- -. RIoHMoSD, I'd July, 1868.
! Hon. A. III. Stephens, Richmond, Va: ~
5 SIR: Having accepted your patriotic offe
, to proceed. as military Commissioner, un
der flag of truce, to Washington, you will
receive herewith your authority to the Com
mander- ia Chief of the Army and Navy O
the United States.
This letteris signed by me as Command er
In Chief of the Confederate land and nava
forces.
You will perceive, from the terms of tht
letter. that it is so worded as to avoid any
political difficulties in its reception. Intend
ed exclusively as one of those communist
tions between belligerents which public law
recognizes as necessary and proper between
hostile forces care has been taken to give nc
pretext for refusing to receive it on the
ground that it would involve a tacit recog-
milton of the Independence of the Confeder-
acy. e.-
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 Abraham Lincoln, as President. instead
of Commander-iu chief, &C., then you will
present the duplicate letter, which is address
ed to him as President and signed by me as
President. To this letter, objection may be
m aH he khok
nized 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 footing ofperfect equality.
Ny recent interviews with. you have put
you so fully in possession of my views, that
1t Is scarcely necessary to give you any de-
tailed Instructions, even were /, at this mo-
ment, well enough to attempt it.
Ny whole process is, in one word, to place
this war on the same footing of such as are
wsged by civilized people in modern times
aud to divest it of the savage character
which has been impressed on it by our en-
emies, in spite of all our efforts and protests.
War is full enough of unavoidable horrors,
under all'it aspects, to justify, 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 divest it of
all unnecessary seventies. You will en-
deavor to establish the cartel for the ex-
change of prisoners on such a 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
snemies in evading the delivery of the
prisoners who fall into their hands; in re-
tarding it by sending them on crcuitous
.outes; and by OBTAINING them. sometimes
or months, in camps and prisons, and in
oers:sting in taking captives nom com bstauts.
Your attention is also called to the un-
heard of conduct of Federal officers in driv-
ng from their homes entire communities of
women and children, as we'll as of men,
whom they find in districts occupied by their
roops, for no other reason than because these
lnfortunates are faithful to the allegiance
lue to their States, and refuse to take an
'ath of fidelity to their enemies.
The putting to death of unarmed prison.
RS has been ground of just complaint in
more than one instance, and the recent ex-
cution of officers of our army in Kentucky,
or the sole cause that they were engaged in
ecruiting service in State which is claim
ID as still one of the United States, but is
lso claimed by US as one of the Confeder
te States, must be repressed by retaliation
not uncoDditionally abandoned, because it
you'd Justify the like execution in every
ther State of the Confed eracy, and the prsc-
ice is barbarous, uselessly cruel, and can
My lead to the slaughter of prisoners on
9th sides. result too horrible to contem-
late without making every effort to avoid it. !
On these and all kindred subjects you will
onsider your authority full and ample to
lake such arrangements as will temper the
resent cruel character of the contest, and :
all confidence is placed in your Judgment, /
and discretion, that, while carry 8
1g out the objects of your missicn, you will {
axe care that the equal rights OF the Con- {
ederacy be always preserved. lr
Very respectfully. :
1Siguedl JEFFERSON DAVIS.
RICHMOND, July 8. 1863.-His Excellency {
EFFERsoN DAvIs-Sir: U uder the authority a
nd instructions of your letter to me on the I
I'd inst, proceeded on the mission there I
i assigned without delay. The steamer !
'orpedo, Commanded by Lieutenant Hun |
sr Davidson, of the navy, was put in readi- l
ess as soon as possible, by order of the
secretary of the Navy, and rendered for the
eryice. At noon, on the 3D., she started |
own James River, hosting and bearing
ag of truce after passing City PoiEt. The
ext day Ohe 4th,) at about one O'Clock T.
T., when within few miles OF Newport
Jews, we were met by small boat OF the
nemy, carrying two guns, which also raised
white flag before approaching US.
The officer in command informed Lieuten-
ut Davidson that he had orders from Admi-
al Lee, on Board the United States nag !
hip Minnesota, lying below, and then In I!
lew, not to allow any boat or vessel to pass
L cd HI
ut his perm ission. By this officer l sent
, Admiral Lee note stating my objects I
nd wishes, copy of which is hereunto an
sxed. marked A. also sent to the Ad-