Mr. Benjamin to Mr. De Leon.
Sir: I avail myself of an unexpected opportunity to acknowledge receipt of your Nos. 1 and 2. They have been read with lively interest, and you will not fail to keep the department fully advised of your conclusions as to the probable action of European powers as fast as their views are developed, either through the press or other agencies.
The president has been so fully occupied with military matters that it has been scarcely possible for me to confer with him at length on the matters suggested by you, and he has just departed very suddenly for a tour in the southwest, where his presence was greatly needed to restore affairs and to impart renewed energy and activity to our military operations.
On his return I will take measures to forward you additional means to enable you to extend the field of your operations, and to embrace, if possible, the press of central Europe in your campaign. Austria and Prussia, as well as the smaller Germanic powers, seem to require intelligence of the true condition of our affairs and of the nature of our struggle, and it is to be hoped you may find means to act with efficiency in moulding public opinion in those countries.
When I send you a remittance, on the return of the president, (at the end of this month,) I will give you my views more at large.
The bearer of this goes in part to complete arrangements for more prompt communication, and I hope that for the future my despatches will reach Europe more regularly and promptly.
Your obedient servant,
Edwin de Leon, Esq., Care of Hon. John Slidell, &c., Paris.