Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-31

WASHINGTON, March "a, lS66.-The fol-
lowing letter was folnd ON person captured
in the Department Of Washington in the early
part of 1861 He turned out to be mes
senger from the rebel emissaries in Canada
to the Richmond authorities, trying to make
his way through our lines into Virginia
This letter, although not signed by the
writer. has since been fully identified as the
production of Clement c. Clay, Jr., who is
now sharing with JEFF. Davis the hospitali-
tiesofFortress Monroe Thecomplieity ofthe
writer. thus established by it, is understood
to be the real ground for Mr. Clay's pro-
longed punishment.
ST. GATHERINGS, c. W., Nov. /, 1864
SIR: You have doubtless learned through
the press of the United States of the raid on
st. Adams, VT, by about twenty-five Con-
federate soldiers, nearly all Of them escaped
prisoners, led by Lieut.. Bennett III. Young /;
of their attempt ana failure TO burn the
town, and of their robbery of three banks
there of the aggregate amount of about
SlS0.000; Of their arrest in Canada by
United States forces, their commitment, and
the pending preliminary trial.
There are twelve or fourteen of the
twenty-five who have been arrested, and
the trial for commitment for extradition is
now progressing. A letter from Hon. J. L.
NJ Abbott, the leading counsel for the pris-
oners, dated Montreal, 2Sth October, says to
me: "We' prisoners counseD "all think it
quite clear that the facts will not justify a
commitment for extradition under the law
as it stands, and we conceive the strength of
our position to consist in the documents we
hold, establishing the authority of the raid
ers from the Confederate States Govern
ment But there is no doubt that this au-
thority might be more explicit than it is, in
so far as regards the particular acts COM
planned of; and presume the Confederate
Government will consider it TO be their duty
to recognize officially the acts of Lieutenant
Young and his party, and will find means to
convey such recognition to the prisoners here
in such form as can be proven before cur
Courts. If this were accompanied or fol-
lowed by demand upon our Government
that the prisoners be set at liberty, / think a
good effect would be produced; although,
probably, the application would not be re-
ceived by the authorities. There will be at
least fortnight's time, and probably more,
expended in the examination of Witnesses,
SO that there will be plenty of time for any
thing that may be thought advisable to be
done in behalf of the prisoners" | met
Mr.. Young at Halifax, on my way here, in
Nav last He showed me letters from men
whom knew by reputation to be true friends
of State rights, and therefore of Southern
independence, vouching for his integrity as
man, his piety as Christian and his 10y
atty as soldier of the South.
After satisfying me that his heart was
with us in our struggle, and that he had suf-
fered imprisonment for many months as a
soldier of the Confederate States, from which
he had escaped, he developed his plans for
retaliating some of the injuries and outrages
inflicted upon the South. | thought them
feasible and fully warranted by the law of
nations, and therefore recommended him
and his plans to the Secretary of War. He
was sent back by the Secretary of War with
a commission as second lieutenant to exc
cute his plans and purposes, but to report to
Hon. - and myself. We prevented his
achieving or attempting what l am sure he
could have done for us, and which may be
fully explained hereafter. Finally, disap-
pointed in his original purpose, and in all
the subsequent enterprises projected, he
proposed to return to the Confederate States
England States and burning some towns and
robbing them of whatever he could convert
to the use of the Confederate government.
This / approved as justifable retaliation.
He attempted to burn the town of St.
Adams, Vermont, and would have succeeded
but for the failure of the chemical prepare
lions with which he was armed. Believing
the town was already fired in several places,
and must be destroyed, be then robbed the
banks of all the funds he could find,
amounting to more than 100000. That he
was not prompted by selfish or mercenary
motives, and that he did not intend to con-
vert the funds taken to his own use, but to
that of the Confederate States, am as well
satisfied as | am that he is an honest man, a
true soldier and patriot; and no one who
knows him will question his title to this
character.
He assured me, before going on the raid,
thai his efforts would be to destroy towns and
farm houses, not to plumber and to rob; but,
he said, if after firing a town he saw he could
take funds from bank or any thing which
might infiict injury on the enemy, and ben
eft his own Government, he would do so.
He added most emphatically, that whatever
he took should be turned over to the Gov
eminent or its Representatives in foreign
lands. My instructions to him, oft repeated
were 'to destroy whatever was valuable, not
to stop or rob; but if after firing town, he
could seize and carry off money, or Treasury
or bank notes, he had right to do so, upon
condition that they were delivered to the
proper authorities of the Confederate States"
That they were not delivered according to
his promise and intention, was owing, l am
sure, to the failure of his chemical Gem
pound to fire the town, and to the capture of
himself and men on the Canadian soil, where
being surprised and overpowered by supe-
rior numbers from the United States. On
showing me his commission and instructions
from Mr.. Seldom, which were of course
vague and indefinite, he said he was author
lied to do all the damage he could to the
enemy in way of retaliation. If this be true,
1T seems to me the Confederate States Gov
eminent should not hesitate to avow his act
was fully authorized as warrantable retalia-
ton. If the Government do not assume the
responsibility of this raid, think Lieut..
Young and his men will be given up to the
United States authorities. If so, fear the
exasperated and alarmed people Of Vermont
will excite cruel and summary vengeance
upon them before they reach the prison of
st. Adams.
The sympathies of nine-tenths of the
Canadians are with Young and his men-a
majority of all the newspapers justify or
excuse his act as merely retaliation, and
they desire only the authority of the Con-
federate States Government for it to resist
their extradition. The refusal of extradition
is fully warranted by the like course of the
United States in many cases cited lately in
the Canadian papers, which | cannot now
repeat, but which | can readily find. The
refusal of extradltion would be Of salutary
political influence, it is thought, both in the
British Provinces and in England. can
not now explain why | trust, therefore, for
the sake not only of the brave soldiers who
attempted the daring exploit which has
caused panic throughout the United States
bordering on Canada, and the organization
of forces to resist, as well the arbitrary and
tyrrannous order of Gen. Dix touching the
coming Presidential election, but for the
sake of our cause and country, that the
President viii assume the responsibility of
the act of Lieut. Bennett ii. Young, and
that you viii signify it in such form as will
entitle it to admission as evidence in the
pending trial.
| send the special messenger who bears
this that your answer may be brought back
by him within ten days, or by the llth inst
The final Judgment can and will be post
poned for the action of the Confederate
States Government as long as possible, GER
tainly for ten days.