Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1872-08-17
A defense of Jacob Thompson.

, IOT lOUT lrullkb VI lupcTHi SHiuIt CIHS
the archives of the late Confeder.
ate government, appears an ambi-
guous, II not astounding rumor.
Tho Herald sagely suggests that
] 2. Benjamin honorabl, 7 destroyed
the secret service vouchers, and
these documents now offered to tho
present administration can only
therefore contain the military re.
cords and reports of action in tho
civil service that Are interesting rs
hsto. ical records.
The writer proposes to explain
certain matters which have hither-
to been regarded as mysterious, and
though he performed only IL subor-
dinate part, yet he had access TO
those who were chief actors, and
possessing their confidence, became
familiar with much that was done
or attempted on the Canadian from
tier during our late unhappy civil
conflict. 1t is u simple statement
offacts due to those unjnstly malign.
cd. Tho brief recital will be torti-
fled by documentary evidence,
drawn from papers secured by the
writer in Canada after the war.
They arc used by permission
Every Government has it's secret
ser' ice, and sometimes the most i'm
portant results are effected through
their agency. The secret agent in
the war of 1912 was Edwards, who
had access to all the leading polti
clans of that period, and through
whose agency the Hartford Conven-
ton was convened. Daniel Web
ster, when Secretary Of State, made
free use Of agents in this service,
and l. Jrd Palmerstonc did not hosi-
tate to send his agents TO America
and elsewhere to secretly watch the
political movements Of foreign Pow
ers. IL is not surprising, therefore,
that the Southern States in their
late struggle for separate political
existence should use every means
recognised among nations as lawful
and right to effect the accomplish
ment OF their purpose. There is no
reason when these events have hap
ply passed away forever that the
world should not know the truth,
and thus dissipate the miserable
suspicious and unjustitiable charges
which mystery enables partisans or
| Jealous enemies to throw around
tho unexplained conduct Of those
engaged in Canada in the secret
service Of the Suuth.
The letters quoted were placed at
the disposal OF the writer, to be used
at discretion, and there is, therefore,
no breach of confidence in their
present publication.
The Herald has quoted certain dam
aging charges against Jacob Thomp-
sou, and it will DO the object Of the
present article to give u statement
oi facts:
Imprimis: The writer first offers
the following letter from Judah P.
Benjamin, addressed TO Jacob
| AhCti HSC't ia SHhado'
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
RICHMOND, March 2, 1865.
Hon j. Thompson, &c:
SIR haze the honor to acknowl-
edge receipt OF your several des-
patches OF 9TH, 9th and 22dJ Anuary,
as well as of your full report from
hand of Col. Denson. The Presi-
dent instructs me to forward to you
tho following directions on the
various points embraced in your
correspondence:
First-ln regard TO our escaped
prisoners, place in the hands Of
some person in whom you have con-
tidence, such sum of money, not ex-
ceedins $4,000, as you may deom
necessary, TO be applied solely to
the purpose Of assisting such of our
soldiers rs may need aid to return
to the Confcderacy. No money is
to be applied to any that do not
wish TO return here.
"Sccond-In regard to Dir s., the
President does not wish any more
money advanced to him, nor does
he desire that any interference of
any kind be undertaken by the
Doctor. We are determined not to |
permit any just complaint of fbreach |
Of neutral rights by our authority |
or sanction.
"Third-Pay over to the gentle
man referred to in my dispatch of
the Both of December last, twenty |
thousand dollars, to bo used by HIM
at his discretion in our service, and !
to be accounted for by him. Should |
he hereafter need more money IN
form him that | will send it to him
on being notified OF his wants.
Fourth Reserve in your own
hands such sum as you may need |
to pay your expenses homo.
"Fifth-Remit the entire remain
der in your own hands to Messrs
Fraser, Trenholm & Co, of Liver
pool, to be placed to my credit in
separate account, TO bc called Sc
crtL Service Account Make this
remittance MS soon as possible, and
let me know the amount of il, as
We are in pressing need of those
funds already for important service
there.
"Sixth-Procure for us q COM
plete record Of Burley's case, thai
we make it the basis OF official &c
ton. from it's beginning to the final
judgemeutin Appellate Court.
"Seventh- Return to Confcdera-
cy Us soon as you can. Your own
discretion must be exercised as to
the best mode 1 would, however,
suggest Havana, thence to Nata-
mOras BY neutral vessel, thence
through Texas. This ronte is IoTg,
but il the only one that can be ton-
sidercd entirely safe.
II believe tins covers all Points
| am neces ariIy brief, in Disler to
conceal this dispatch more securely. +
Ia