that it would be so regarded and that we would not be held responsible for the acts of the Government at Washington in regard to flags of truce.

As to the charge that I have had "large contracts with the United States Government and am on terms of intimate association with the Secretary of War and that brother, &c.," I deny it entir one cent's interests in any contract with that Government. I have never received one cent from it in any shape, nor do I ever expect to. My associations with the Secretary of War are not intimate. I think I have not seen him more than twice since he has been Secretary, and then only accidentally and but for a moment. His brother I knew but very slightly, never having seen him but twice.

As to my residing in Washington "by choice" since the commencement of hostilities the reverse is true. I left that city in April because my friends did not think it safe for me to remain there. I had been engaged since the close of the last year in publishing the newspaper called the States, at a large expense to myself (assisted by several gentleman, two of whom, Messrs. Robert Ould and D. Ratcliffe, are now I believe in this city), a paper which I will venture to assert was not surpassed in the vigor of its attack on the usurpations of Lincoln by any in the Confederate States, and which was only discontinued on account of the threats of Lane's Kansas company that the office should be mobbed, the press and types thrown in the canal, and the editors and supporters hung at the lamp-pots. The gentlemen connected with me in it all agreed it was unsafe to continue. I had also refused to take the oath of allegiance, and was informed that unless I did take the oath my person would not be safe.

I left Washington on the 28th of April and took my family to Kentucky, where I remained with a brother-in-law and sister who reside there until the last of June, and where my family are at this time. While in Kentucky the election for members of the U. S. Congress was going on, and I beg to refer you to the Hon. J. C. Breckinridge, Governor Magoffin, Lieutenant-Governor Porter, Hon. J. B. Clay, and many others as to my status there, whether it was that of an enemy to the South.

The day before leaving Washington I wrote to my former partner, Mr. Abrams, of New Orleans, the accompanying letter, a copy of which he sent to his present partner, Mr. J. T. Doswell, who has appended his certificate as to its genuineness. This letter is parthy on private matters. The first part relates to public affairs; but the entire letter is submitted, and I beg to explain that portion which says that my future would depend on the letters I received from Montgomery. When Colonel J. T. Pickett left Alexandria I requested him to see President Davis and offer him my services in any position he deemed me capable of filling; that my health was not good, but that in some of the departments of the Army I might render some service and that I was anxious to do so. Colonel Pickett made a memorandum of it. I waited at Versailles some three weeks before I heard from Colonel Picket. I have not his letter with me, by the substance of it was that he had no opportunity to mention the subject to the President and had concluded that it was not worth while to do so because a great many officers of the U. S. Army, lately assigned, were there, and it was deemed no more than just that they should first be provided for. This view of the case in my opinion being so proper I did not go to Montgomery to ask for any position, but concluded to remain in Kentucky, recruit my health, and meantime do whatever good for the cause I was capable of. Whether I did or not I have leave for others to say.