by me. Will you who hear the cause of others listen to this of mine and for the sake of humanity, for my family's sake, report me to the Secretary for a release? The sorrows of the last three months will atone for a multitude of sins.

I am, very respectfully,

JOHN F. MINES,

Presbyter and Prisoner.

Hon. J. P. BENJAMIN, Acting Secretary of War:

I beg leave to call the attention of the honorable Secretary to the case of Chaplain J. F. Mines, which he willd find fully explained in the copies of a letter from him to me and my reply to it, and respectfully ask that the case may be decided, as he continues to importune me by letters to which I do not feel at liberty to reply without the authority of the War Department. The original of my reply to him was sent to the late honorable Secretary of War and never acted on finally by him. It has never yet been sent to the prisoner.

Respectfully,

JAMES LYONS.

Case of Arnold Haris.

RICHMOND, August 5, 1861.

Mr. PRESIDENT:

I most respectfully ask that you will hear from me a statement in behalf of Mr. Arnold Harris,* now confined in this city by military authority. This statement I consider no less due to yourself than to him, because I know that it is your desire in all cases, as it is your prerogative in this, to be just. I know, Mr. President, that you are occupied almost without intermission by grave duties, but I hope you will turn aside a moment to consider this.

I remained in Washington City for some time after the formation of the Confederate Government and visited that place again in March on business of that Government. I then frequently met Mr. Harris, and had repeated conversations with him upon the political condition of the country, alone and in presence of others. He expressed himself earnestly and consistently publicy and privately in favor of the South, and no one was regarded by our friends as more warmly with us in feeling and opinion than he. as far as any one, and I have yet to learn that he abused our confidence. He left Washington City in April for Kentucky (where his family now is), and I am assured by gentleman of that State that he there openly maintained our cause and vindicated our conduct.

He returned to Washington only in July and upon business, purely private, connected with the state of the late Senator Douglas of which he is a creditor. He assures me that heis in no wise connected with the Government of the United States nor any of its operations; that he has not now and never has ban since the secession of the first State any connection with in the way of contracts or otherwise.

The principle of international law that all the citizens of an enemy's country are enemies has neither been adopted by us in fact nor theory, for citizens of Kentucky, Maryland and Missouri are permitted to go and come as freely as those of any of the Confederate States. The different

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*See p. 995, Vol. II, First Series, for arest of Harris.

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