Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1863-07-17
PUBLISHED (DA1LYl BY
EDGAR SNOW DEN JR.
~..~ ~0FFTCE-No 104 King street, over
= r.. r. formerly French's) Book Store.
OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS.

From the Richmond v nag, 5uly III
r5a correspondence relative to Alexander
u Stcnbens mission to Old Point is publish
= + constitutes an important chapter in
,,a 49, b;storv Of the war. We subjoln the toll
lowing letters; r. t7..,1o,, y
Vr0lMS-SIR: Having accepted your patrl-
ofic offer to proceed on a military COMMISSION
nnder fac Of truce to Washington, you Will
receive herewith your letter OF authority TO
,he Commander Chief OF the Army ana
Nayy Of the United States.
The letter is signed by me as Commander-ln
phinfof the Confederate land and naval iorces.
You will perceive from the terms OF the
letter that It is so Worded as to avoid any poll
GcaI difficulties in it's reception. Intended ex-
clnsiyely as one Of those communications be
tween beligeronts which public law recognlzes
asuecessary and proper between hostile forces,
care has been taken to give no pretext tor re-
tLsing to receive it, on the ground that 1t
would involve tacit recognition OF the lnde-
pendence Of the Contederacy.
Your mission is simply one OF humanity and
has no political aspect.
r objection is made to receiving your letter
on the ground that it is not addressed to Abra-
ham Lincoln as President, instead OF Comman-
der-in Chief, &C., then you will present the
duDlicate letter which is addressed to him as
President and signed by me as President. 10
this letter objection may be made on the
ground that am not recognized to be Presl-
dent Of the Contederacy. In this event you
will decline any further attempt to contlr on
the subject Of your mission, as such confer
ence is admissible only on footing OF perfect
equality
Nv recent interviews with you have put
YOU 30 fully in possession Of my views that It
is scarcely necessary to give you any detailed
Instructions, even were [ at this moment we'll
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
diyest il OF the savage character which has
been impressed on it by our enemies III spite
Of all our efforts and protests. War IS tull
enough of unavoidable horrors, under all its
aspects, to justify, and even TO demand OF any
Christian ruler who may be unhapplly engaged
IN carrying it on, to seek to restrict It's calaml-
ties and to divest it Of all unnecessary severl-
ties. You will endeayor to establish the cartel
Tor the exchange of prisoners on such basis
as to avoid the constant difficulties and com
plants which arise, and to prevent for the fu-
'ure what We deem the unfair conduct or our
enemies in evading the delivery Of prisoners
who tall into their hands, in retarding 1t by
sending them on circuitous routes and by detaln--
Ing them, sometimes for months, in camps and
PRISONS, and in persisting in taking captlves
Aon'combatants.
Your attention IS also called to the unheard
Of conduct OF Federal officers in driving from
IHelr homes entire communities Of women and
children, IS we'll as of men, whom they find IN
districts occupied by their troops, for no other
reason than because these unfortunates are
sal}5htnl to the allegiance due to their States,
@aa refuse to take an oath Of fidelity to their
eQeMes