and undertaking was owing, I am sure, to the failure of his chemical compound to fire the town, and to the capture of himself and men on Canadian soil, where they were surprised and overpowered by superior numbers from the United States. On showing me his commission and his instructions from Mr. Seddon, which were of course vague and indefinite, he said he was authorized to do all the damage he could to the enemy in the way of retaliation. If this be true it seems to me the C. S. Government should not hesitate to avow his act was fully authorized as warrantable retaliation. If the Government does not assume the responsibility of this raid I think Lieutenant Young and his men will be given up to the U. S. authorities. If so I fear the exasperated and alarmed people of Vermont will exert cruel and summary vengeance upon them before they reach the prison at Saint Albans. The sympathies of nine-tenths of the Canadians are with Young and his men. A majority of all the newspapers justify of excuse his act as merely retaliatory, and they desire only the authority of the C. S. Government for it to refuse their extradition. The refusal of extradition is fully warranted by the like course of the United States in many cases cited lately in the Canadian papers, which I cannot now repeat, but which you can readily find. The refusal of extradition would have a salutary political influence, it is thought, both in the British Provinces and in England. I cannot now explain why. I trust, therefore, for the sake not only of the brave soldiers who attempted this daring exploit (which has caused a panic throughout the United States bordering on Canada and the organization of forces to resist, as well as the arbitrary and tyrannous order of General Dix touching the coming Presidential election), but for the sake of our cause and country, that the President will assume the responsibility of the act of Lieutenant Bennett H. Young, and that you will signify it in such form as will entitle it to admission as evidence in the pending trial. I send the special messenger who bears this, that your answer may be brought back by him within ten days of by 11th instant. The final judgment can and will be postponed for the action of the C. S. Government as long as possible, certainly for ten days.

I avail myself of this opportunity to bring to your notice the case of Captain Charles H. Cole, another escaped prisoner of General forrest's command, who was taken about six weeks since on the Michigan (the Federal was steamer on Lake Erie), and is charged with an attempt at piracy (for attempting to capture the vessel), with being a spy, &c. The truth is that he projected and came very near executing a plan for the capture of that vessel and the rescue of the prisoners on Johnson's Island. He failed only because of the return of the captain (Carter) of the Michigan a day sooner than expected and the betrayal (in consequence of Carter's return) of the entire plot. The only plausible ground for charging him with being a spy is that he was in Sandusky, on Johnson's Island, and on the Michigan frequently, without having on his person the Confederate uniform, but wearing the drew of a private citizen. Mr. --- and I have addressed a letter to the command of Johnson's Island protesting against his being treated as a spy for the following reasons:

That he was in the territory of the United States as a prisoner against his consent; that he escaped by changing his garb; that he had no Confederate uniform when he visited Sandusky, Johnson's Island, and the Michigan; that he did not visit them as an emissary from the Confederate States; that whatever he conceived he had not executed anything; that he had conveyed no information to his Government, and did not contemplate conveying any information to the Government.

His trail has been postponed; I know not why or for what time. His exchange should be proposed and notice given that any punishment