The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1872-08-01

EDITOR OF TIKI PATRIOT:
What lengthy Journeys performed; what
EXPENSE and trouble 1 incurred in searching;
for the ''missing Confederate hlShfcF
need not now be related. But theY were at
Length found safely stored away in Canada.
/ @bought i'm: :" obtained "A certain control
over them, and shortly after Presidcut
Johnson's general amnesty, offered them 70
Mr. Seward. under date, Toronto, January
90- 1865. Mr.. Seward replied that he did not
doubt that they would prove OF value ana
importance; but before under.akln2 "a 3'-
ouire them, they should nrst De d ugHt
hither and examined. The bona-hde hol"'I
Of them replied To me that "he would see
Mr.. Seward id first" His language,
mind you, not mine. SO that negotiation
ended, and thus nothing was done until the
Administration changed. Then. AFTER con-
sulting several friends of my political views
and the weight of their opinions eolneiulnS
with my own notions, l offered the docu-
ments TO President Grant, in person, and
reference was had to General Rawlings.
He was warmly in favor of acquiring the
property, and named very heavy sum as
nroner compensation for their preservation.
But Just then he sickened and died, and with
him died-well, more than L need say.
Consulting friends again, and the policy
of the new Administration not realizing It's
promise nor my expectation, offered the
property, at various times, TO several per-
sons of great wealth and bOundless liberal
ity and without success. What other efforts
l made to have the papers preserved by po-
litical friends, how negotiated with hlsto-
rians, publishers, &c, in vain, 1 need not
now relate. Here l will make the crafty
ing statement that all have kept my conf
dence, aud shall keep theirs.
Time passed inactively until about year
ago. when parties representing themselves
as acting by authority OF high functionaries
endeavored TO open negotiations with me.
l "fought shy" but finally was induced to
deliver them a copy of the original inven-
tory found with the property, and which no
one of their party had heretofore seen.
This whetted an appetite, and after the nom
ination OfJudge Davis for the Presidency,
deeming it certain that he would be en-
dorsed by both the Conservative and DEM
ocratic ConVentionS-and elected con-
sented 10 accompany Government officer
to Canada and to submit the papers to his
inspection. This we did in April last, and
were some two weeks engaged i'm that bust
ness. His report was favorable, as must be
inferred from the sequel, although l have
not read it.
The Cincinnati Convention nominating
Mr.. Greeley, and feeling confident Balti-
more would do the same, and being then, as
now, certain of his election. and all rebels
(So-called) being amnestied-eXcept a few,
who have only to ask for i'll consented to
endeaVor to persuade my principal, the
holder of the archives, TO deliver them to
the Government; and which transfer we
effected on the 81 day of this month. In
short, four yellow trunks wendell their way
to the White House, and certain pile of
greenbacks was faithfully paid over accord
ing to contract. The custodian of the prop
erty pocketed his price, reimbursed my adj
Vances to him, paid my fees as his attorney
and agent, and went his way rejoicing. He
is person wholly obscure, and his name /
shall give when l reveal the secrets OF the
-hOuse-nOt before,
How this affair leaked out from tue Treas
ury Is unknown to me; but as it has done
so feel myself absolved from any secrecy
on the subject and most cheerfullv sDread |
the whole truth before the public, and in !
due time shall give an elaborate history of |
the affair, should interest in it survive the |
present hour.
The documents consist of the entire ar
chIVes of the Department of State of the |
Confederate States-nothing more nor less |
without the abstraction of q single piece 49, /
The secret service vouchers, by which many
persons, OF little note, however, this side of |
yhe lines might have been compromised. did |
not leave Richmond with those more pub
ic papers; but were faithfully and honor
lbly destroyed br Mr.. Benjamin the day Of
he evacuation. Had any such papers come
nto my possession Ishould have been burn
"a at the stake sooner than deliver them |
wen to the common Government.
Thus do not perceive that anybody is
lurt, and there is but one paper the perusal
If which gave me any pain-the Hon. Ja-
.ob Thom pson's report of operations ON the
unknown to me until the officer with whom
lately went to Canada found il. as he
would testify If called upon. Ii was too
ate, then, TO recede, nor could / have been
induced 10 falsify history by destroying it.
And here follows a curious episode.
Knowing that the documents exhibited ,
he fact that Mr.. Thompson had a Ue1g kayQe
mount Of Confederate States qOLd in his nos ! =
esSs0n at the time Of cOAdpSe-lohich qoH J
has gone tchere the lcOOdbile ttoineth"-I went s
long journey last summer to see him. and ,
ut OF abundant Kindness told him OF the
act that such papers were still extant. He "
'ould not be convinced. saying Mr. Benia- Il
I'm had TOLD him everything OF the kind a
al been destroyed, and / dare say he was
} informed and believed, this being mani q
'stiy the cue of that willy Hebrew, in order I
share IN the pIunder aforesaid. Now, mas h
luch as the Confederate Government was 4
loeDCed 10 the writer in the amount of ut
asst $4,000 of that gold, on liuuidated ac- g
punt, ne, the writer, felt virtuously indig- o
ant that MeSSrs. Z. and b. should haze 1ob- a
ed u alt. By Mr. ThompsOn's permission, II
aIIerward addressed him on the subject in o
lie nope that lie would make an effort to >
cure the entire mass OF documents; but fl
treated my letter with offensive silence II
NOW, the .publics ton of his report will =
'gDtiess cause him, with jefferson Davis
III y. Il. Benjamin, to feel uncOm Portable 4
r little while. But, as expect TO 20 TO G.
either of them when / die my sympathy y,
All not be Of heart-rending character, | "
Pe7cially as they have all three treated me
dly enough in my time. And thus 1 am p
belt unintentionally, the instrument of the an
execution of sort OF poetic justice upon =,
EN-. And here / must be suffered, as one -
II faithful to the sacred Lost Cause, TO say ~
t l wholly repudiate the policy of at nt
npting to burn Northern cities during ca
e the war, especially Democratic cities i,
q that always Indignantly denied that "
egation until seeing Mr.. Thompson's re- br
rt. 30 let those three WORTHLESS vince di
tchered- / surrendered all of NV own
pers-eVen although some of them caus-
me to be considered as a I'D Adolf
INST" by j. Davis, Benjamin q Co Why IA
lue ash, snoulu have been more nice as =.
the oInelal papers of other men? A. ~ III
ythlng III the whole mass militatinp on
alhst Horace Greeley's triumphant cleo DO
n, that were the merest moonshine All -
- u y Niagara Fails conference is an old sto-
played out" long ago. 1t were sfmnIv an
'urd TO pretend to implicate him in an at lei
nPt 70 purn ms own city. / honor him ca
MS nsole endeavOr TO stop the efusion of ~
'od, and that alone would entitle him 10 ~
support; and call upon my acquain- III
zee, Iienos, kindred, and fillibusters, fell II
V-soIdlers, and all to- siC
Take their stand, and bare the brand mi
AS IN the ancient day." an
And 90 for Gratz and Greeley. a.
The truth, is, these now famous arcbives sol
re no political significance whatsoever. orl
'tQrlcally and financially they are valua- ca
, dare say. All good citizens and tsv- Sh
7ers are interested in them in the Latter me
ect. Ihey may save money TO the com me
nWealth by defeating the claims of those -,
0 threw UP, their caps for JEFF. Davis and ioL
uted death TO the Yankees durino tbe of
!, anu now come up here with their the
inns and perjure their souls by swearing In,
y were always "trooly loil.r -,
nave omitted to say that the person who .i'
~ Ileu Ine papers away, and who held II
mn ~ ~ ms grip lately syore that if | gel