True I had rather not be confined as I have a child depending on me for guiadance and care, just, too, at that age, when a child most needs and requires a parent's guiding and restraining hand.

Now, sir, I do not ask mercy; I simply ask for justice. I have heard that William H. Seward was a hard and heartless man, permitting nothing to stand in the way of his boundless ambition; sacrificing alike on the altar of that ambition friends as well as foes, acting always upon the principle that the end justifies the means. Now, sir, I do not believe any such doctrine. I believe there is no man without some good impulse, and surely a woman and a mother pleading to you need not plead in vain.

The "leopard cannot change its spots; "I cannot to save my neck shriek "Union; " but I will go home and meddle no more with edged tools. You can fight hereafter without my aid or intervention.

Respectfully,

C. V. BAXLEY.

WASHINGTON, January 5, 1862

Honorable WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.

SIR: As nearly as I can remember the following is a true statement of all I have done. I was very anxious to see Jeff. Davis and I determined at any and every risk to do so. I asked friend after friend for letters of introduction. All tried to dissuade me, and positively refused aid or sanction to what they termed my mad freak. At length I succeeded in obtaining simply a letter of introduction, and one of recommendation in favor of a friend for whom I determined (on my own responsibility) to ask a favor of Mr. Davis. I had two requests to prefer-one for a cadetship for my son, the other the one above named. I carried with me anumberof letters from friends to friends, sisters, mothers and realtives generally any one of which I have since been informed could have gone safely by flag of truce.

I had two or three letters for the President, not one containing over a dozen lines-simply letters of greeting fromold friends having no bearing whatever on this unhappy war. These I termed my dispatches simply to expedite if possible my trip to Richmond. I could not help feeling amused myself at the gullibility of the pepole South as well as North. I was made quite a lion of because I was really supposed to have brought important papers to Jeff. General Winder waited on me (my advent having I suppose been heralded) and conducted me (for which I owe hime a grudge) somewhat unceremoniously into the presence of His Honor.

Now, Mr. Seward, you are a public man, a business man and a statesman, and is it not reasonable to suppose if I had in my possession documents of any importance whatever I should have presented them immediately upon my arrival; whereas I reached Richmond on Sunday morning, had letters for the wife of the Belgian minister, a Baltimore lady whose family I knew, drove there, made myself as comfortable as possible, for I was fatigued and sick. On Monday morning wrote a note to ex-President Tyler to call on me as I wished him to introude me. Mr. Tyler did not get my note, and about 1 o'clock I was waited on by General Winder. It happened very well, though he was not very polished, else probably I should have had to wait a day or two longer, and I was quite as anxious to get home as I had been to get there.