The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1863-08-19
THE MISSION OF A. III. STE
PHENS.
Letter of Historic Value.

Ihc clob ull'1 w thC CuibOA VI UAilS1 ~
was addressed. 1t is reproduced on
account of its intrinsic merits, it's
graphic eloquence, and its immense
historic interest.
RICHMOND, VA. July 16, 1868.
To the Editor of the N. Y. Tribune:
SIR:--In the almost vain hope Of helping
to avert new horrors Of war which the soul
OF every Christian citizen must shrink--with
the prayerful wish, rather than with the exa
pectations of saving your people and mine,
your Government and mine, your cause and
mine, from crimes political and military too
terrible to contemplate without shudder, l
ask you to lay before your countrymen Ger
tain most grave facts, affecting at once their
charater and existence as nation, and com L.
ing home with most kindly warning to
"the business and bosom" of every man a.
mong you who has interests to appeal to, q
conscience to rouse, or heart to touch,--
And ask THE N. Y. TRIBUNE thus to
speak for the humane among US to the hu-
name among you, for. two reasons: first, be-
cause that Journal is the exponent OF the
doctrines of the Federal Administration, OF
the dominant party in the United States;
and then because, abominable as those doc
trines must ever be to us--cruel as are your
counsels, impracticable as is your language
The TRIBUNE has at least been from the
beginning a consistent and courageous par
tisan, a fair and open foe--neither asking
nor giving tavors, playing no fantastic politi>
cal tricks, nor bidding for all applause at
once.
How came by the knowledge of the
facts which, in the very eagesness Of patro-
tic fear, l take this extraordinary means of
imparting to your party, your rulers, and
our people, is neither here or there."--
Let it suffice to assure you--and kao,o you
will believe me--that my opportunities have
been as sure as the use make of them is
pure.
Let me comfort you with the assurance
that shall serv these facts to you in form
as compact as possible, for, indeed, | have
but little to hope from the chances of this
letters ever reaching you. AS to the peril
to myself--that is nothing.
On the Sd day Of July, 1863, the Hon.
Alexander FL. Stephens, VicesPresident Of
the Confederate States Of America, ran down
from Richmond in Confederate steamer,
under flag OF truce, to the mouth OF the
James River, where he had conference with
Acting Rear-Admiral s. P. Lee, command
ing your blockading squadron, as to certain
matters OF state. | ne d not occupy your
space Cor at least your time, Sir) with form
al citations. You know there was brief cor
respondence between our Vice President
and your Government. Mr.. Stephens de-
sired audience for the purpose OF presenting
to the consideration Of Mr.. Lincoln certain
propositions bearing upon the spirit and con-
conduct Of the war. Mr.. Lincoln declined
to confer with Mr.. Stephens, and Mr.. Steph
ems returned to Richmond. Not to waste
words in the controversy, that, Mr.. TRI-
BUNE, was, believe, the end Of the expedi-
ton. But not the end OF speculation as to
its real object The guesses OF your jour
nails have been far more numerous than the
possibilities. | propose to disenchant you
Therefore this letter.
The Vice President Of the Confederate
States was sent to ask the Presidence OF the
United States to cooperate with the former
Government in measures conducive to the
cause ofhumanity, to the cultivation OF the
most Christian shapes of wartare--such
measures; in the first place, as might be a
greed upon between them. to tighten the
troubles Of prisoners, and alleviate the pains
of the wounded. And had Mr.. Stephens
been so fortunate as to procure the audience
frankly and simply sought, !, for one, believe
that the mercy OF his errant would have met
with proper recognition. This, however
secondarily.
The primary object Of the Vice. Presi.
dents mission was to protest, in the name o
his Government and people, against the
mastering and arming OF the blacks, which
now constitutes almost the only clear fea
ture of your policy. lie came to lmplore
you, in the name Of a people whose resources
must have surprised you, of Government
whose ability you have frankly acknowledg'
ed, of soldiers whose courage and devotion
and endurance you have felt, to this consum
nation not to come at last. lie came to as.
sure you, on the good faith of bis Govern
ment, on the simple truth OF his fellow
countrymen, that not one single regiment o,
corps of negroes has ever been brought into h
Confederate service, 70 be turned armed a
gainst you. He came to remind you tina
such negroes as have from time to time been
found on breastworks and in trenches hav
been caught with spades only or picks il
their hands-that such as have been fount
in regiments-an insignificant number
have been in all cases body servants, some
times OF officers, sometimes OF privates, wit
oil their own will, out OF the love which yol
kno,o they bear US, have chosen to follow
their masters to the death. And these yo'
have found among your prisoners. ID
could have told you, if diplomacy permitted
sentiment, (God save the markn of man.
such "chattes," some of them white haired
begging. stealing. fighting their way hom
again, to the "ole missus" and the old place
with all that was left Of the young massa
"a lock Of hair or a trinklet.
But no matter for that. He came to tall
to you of selfpreservation, OF retaliation, an
all that's shocking in the meaning OF tina
word. He came to tell you OF the nativ
devil that has slept so long, to be awoke a
last, in the bosom Of simple, dependent
affs ctionate race. He came to implore you
the name OF God not to do this abominabl
thing.
Else he would have to fall back upon sta
tistics and the grim phraseologies Of wa
and remind you that the 100000 Of ne
groes that appear in the tablets OF your cen
sus for 1850 are the working hands OF bot
sexes only. That number does not includ
the superannuted, or the infants. Out I