All rebels of any consequence are professedly loyal to strangers. You have to cultivate them for their secrets. The difficulty I have labored under here has been that of making the acquaintance of transient men--rebels from Kentucky and Indiana who are purchasing goods, &c. Before I am able to get that which I really need they have gone. A man here does not introduce you to his rebel friends on short acquaintance, for he himself is held responsible for you. Hence, he first proves you himself. If he doubts you, he cuts your acquaintance or passes you over to some rebel critic, who at once applies the acids to you. Lucky is the man who bears the tests. I am now under the discipline of acute examiners.

All the information I want I can obtain here if I gain their confidence, which seems slow in maturing. I have made the acquaintance of Austin B. Howard, of Indianapolis, who is an outspoken rebel. He desired me to call on him, which I promised him I would do. Our interview was brief, and I gained but little information. I am not sure that he was not an impostor.

Have had interviews with Mr. Mercer, residing near Ruddel's Mills, Bourbon County, Ky. It was he who told me of B. J. Clay. Also had an interview with Mr. Ellis, of Madison County, Ky. Both these men are traitors; they talk guarded treason. They both intimated approaching difficulties in Kentucky; say she is ripe for strife. They know more than they say. Saw Mr. Mitchell, of Lexington, Ky., a banker who Colonel Lew. Wallace had imprisoned as a spy, though holding passes from the highest Federal authority in Kentucky and Tennessee, during the Morgan raid of 1863. Wiehl says he is a true rebel. He is quite intimate with the editors of the Enquirer.

Wiehl told me of the private route for Southern recruits from Lexington, Ky. He promised to put me in the hands of the conductor on said route. He says thirty men left L. only a few nights since. You avoid the highways entirely, traveling through the plantations of men who are friendly and remain quiet. One conductor takes you to where you meet another, &c.

A young lady carried her lower in a buggy 125 miles and put him in good hands. I was in Covington to-day. McClellan is popular there.

Truly and respectfully,

E. F. H----N.

CINCINNATI, OHIO, June 8, 1864.

Colonel J. P. SANDERSON, U. S. Army,

Provost-Marshal-General, Saint Louis, Mo.:

SIR: I have the honor to inform you that it was out of my power to report to you yesterday, as I shall now endeavor to demonstrate to you. On the 7th I put into execution an expedient which I have had in contemplation for some time. Its effects, so far as under my control, have been beneficial, and had I not been foiled by the military here would have yielded me all the advantages I desired.

Unpretending, obscure rebels have but little influence, and hence are not brought in contact with the distinguished and best informed. My aim, therefore, has been to do something which would make me notorious, and at the same time increase the faith of the rebels in me. My intention was a pretended suicide. The state of the times favored it, and for several days I had represented myself to the rebels as utterly discouraged. To carry out my intentions I purchased an ounce bottle of laudanum, threw away one-half of it, dressed myself suitably for death, left my (written) dying declaration on my table, sent a nervously