burning and other designs of the enemy. Our most direct and prudent men, both civil and military, familiar with the character of the man, think it imprudent to send him into the enemy's country, as he is capable of doing us more injury than Johnson and Maynard both combined. I regret that he was not arrested by the military and sent to Tuscaloosa, where many will no doubt be sent not half so guilty as he is; and I urge you to that course now, as being the very best thing under all the circumstances that could be done. His friends cannot complain of his being sent to a more Southern climate, and it is a little singular that with the disease of which he is complaining he should desire to go North at this inclement season. Under all the circumstances I have though it best for the country that he should be detained for trial or sent to Tuscaloosa. At least he should be detained until you should hear all the facts and circumstances of the case. He was permitted to come home without being arrested, as I understand, upon condition that he was to be answerable to the law for any offense he may have committed, and previous to his being arrested the commissioner had leave to do so from Major-General Crittenden if he thought proper, the general saying he would not interfere.

Again, Brownlow was aware of President Davis' proclamation, giving all that desired to leave the Confederate States forty days to do so. If he desired to go North, he then had an opportunity to do so. He did not avail himself of the law, but remains here after he has done all the injury he can do to our country, and now asks that he be escorted to our enemies, there to give such information to the North as he may desire and inflame the minds of the people more bitterly against us. If that privilege is granted to him will it not be a precedent for all others that may apply during the war? I fear that the moral effect of such a course will not only be bad in East Tennessee, but may be deleterious in the whole Confederate States.

I have thought proper to present you my view of the case, but will cheerfully conform to your own better judgment.

Yours, truly,

J. C. RAMSAY,

C. S. District Attorney for District of Tennessee.

RICHMOND, December 8, 1861.

Major-General CRITTENDEN,

Knoxville:

The President desires that you return to Richmond and report to him without delay.

J. P. BENJAMIN,

Secretary of War.

HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT,
Bowling Green, Ky., December 8, 1861.

Honorable J. P. BENJAMIN,

Secretary of War:

I have the honor to state that on the 24th November I transmitted a letter from Captain Lindsay, stationed at Nashville, Tenn., reporting the arrival at that place of a steamer from Louisville, Ky., having on board all the machinery and appliances for spinning cotton, owned and intended to be put in operation at McMinnville, Tenn. He had taken