The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-07-27
THOSE REBEL ARCHIVES
THE SECRET SERVICE OF THE CON-
FEDERATE STATES.

THE SECRET SERVICE OF THE CON-
FEDERATE STATES.
|. dan p. Bentamin-TheI Incendiary
and Assassination Stories, &c.
A writer In the New York Herald has made
the recent letter of Colonel John I. Pickett,
concerning the confederate archives" the
subject of an interesting communication In
regard to the alleged completely of Hon. ia
cob Thompson with the reported intrigues In
Canada and elsewhere for burning Northern
cities, the assassination of President Lincoln,
&c. He says:
THE SECRET ARCHIVES.
Tine report, as received In Washington
dispatch, that s75, 900 had been paid for four
trunks of papers, embracing the archives OF
the late Confederate Government, appears an
ambiguous, If not an astounding, rumor. The
Herald sagely suggests that Judah P. Benja-
min honorably destroyed the secret service
vouchers, and these documents now offered
to the present administration can only there
fore contain those military records and re-
ports of action In the civil service that are in
Ieresting as historical records.
ters which have hitherto been regarded as
mysterious, and though he performed only a
subordinate 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 simple statement OF lacts due to those
upiusty maligned. The brief recital will be
fortified by documentary evidence, drawn
by papers secured by the writer In Cana-
da after the war. They are used by permis-
sion. Every government has Its secret ser
vice, and sometimes the most important re-
suits are effected through their agency. The
secret agent In the war of 1872 was Edwards,
who had access to all the leading politicians OF
that period, and through whose agency the
Hartford Convention was convened. Daniel
Webster, when secretary of state. made free
use of agents in this service, and LORD PaIm-
erston did not hesitate 10 send his agents to
America and elsewhere to secretly watch the
political movements OF foreign powers. IL is
not surprising, therefore, that the southern
States, In their late struggle Tor separate
political existence, should use every means
recognized among nalions as lawful andTight
to effect the accom- mplishment Of their purpose.
There is no reason, when these events have
happily passed away forever, that the world
should not know the truth, and thus dlsslpate
the miserable suspicious and unjustldable
charges which mystery enables partisans or
jealous enemies 10 throw around the unex.
plained conduct OF those engaged IN Canada In
The secret service of The South.
Tbs letters quoted were placed at the dis
posal of the writer 10 be used at discretion,
and there Ia, therefore, no breach OF conf.
denee In their present publication.
The Herald has quoted certain damaging
charges against Jacob Thompson. and it will
BIZ the object of the present article to give
statement OF facts.
A SPECIMEN sECRET.sBRVIcE LETTER.
Ing letter from Judah P. Benjamin, addressed
to Jacob Thompson. In Canada:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
RICHMOND, March 2, 1866.
Hon. j. Thompson, &C., &C., de-:
SIR have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your several dispatches oil 4th, 9Th
and ed January, as well as OF your full re-
port, from hands of Colonel Dennlson. me
President instructs me to forward 10 you the
following directions on the various points EN-.
braced in your correspondence:
First In regard to our escaped prisoners,
place into the hands Off ONE person IN whom
YOU have confidence such sum OF money, not
exceeding $4,000, as yor, may deem necessa:
ry, to BIZ applied solely Tor the purpose OF
assisting such of our eoldters as may need aid
10 return to the Confederacy. No money is
to be applied to any that do not wish to re-
turn here.
Second. In regard to Dr. g., the President
does not wish any more money advanced 10
him, nor does he desire that any interference
of any kind be undertaken BY the doctor. We
are determined not 10 permit any just COM
plant of breach of neutral rights by our a,,-
thorlty or sanction.
Third. Pay over to the gentleman referred
to in my dispatch of 30lh December last s2O,-
900, to be used by him at his discretion IN our
service, aud to be accounted for by MIN.
Should he hereafter need more money inform
him that will send 1t to him on being notified
of his wants.
Fourth. Reserve in your own hands such
sum as you mo need 10 pay your expenses
home.
Fifth. Remit the entire remainder in your
hands to Messrs. Fraser, Trenholm q Co., OF
Liverpool, to be placed to my credit IN sepa-
rate account to be called "Secret Service Ac-
count" Make this remittance as soon as
possible, and let me know the amount OF II,
as we are in pressing need of those funds
already for important serVice there.
Sixth. Procure for US complete record, OF
Burley's case that we may make 1t the basis OF
official action, from Its beginning to the dnal
Judgment In appellate court.
Seventh. Return to Confederacy as soon as
you can. Your own discretion must be exer-
cIsed as to the best mode. would, however,
neutral vessel, thence through Texas. This
route Is long, but is the only one that can be
considered entirely safe.
believe this covers all points. am neces-
sarlIy brief, In order 10 conceal this dlspalch
more securely. AS soon as you receive this
publish In the New York Herald an advertise
ment for one week as follows:
.For sale, - acres of Illinois prairie lands.
For description, price and terms, apply by let
ter to N. 8. DoNELSoN, Chicago. ILL.,"
Fill up the blank before the word ''acres"
with the number of pounds sterling that yeu
remit TO Fraser, Trenholm Is Go. am cir,
very respectfully, your obedient servant,
j. P. BENJAMIN, Secretary OF State.
at about the time OF the reception Of this
LETTER FROM JACOB THoMPsoN.
can only judge as to the disposition of the
funds by the fo,IOwing extract from letter
dispatched from Naples In the subsequent year
by Mr.. jacob Thompson to the compiler OF this
record:
My Dear Sir-I am obliged 10 you for your
letter. have been here and In Rome for the
last three months. I shall &C FROM here to
Alexandria and cannot say when I shRll re-
| turn. AS for myself, have not retained a dol
| lar of Confederate money. Before left Mon
| treal received orders from Richmond 10 turn
| It over, and retained portion at that time,
| but seeing Mr.. Benjamin atterward, and wish
| Ing to obtain his receipt In full, turned over
what was retained. J have his receipt for all
the money In my hands, paid over In perform
ance of orders received from Richmond, prior
to the evacuation of the same. While l feel