[Duplicate]
Mr. Benjamin to Mr. Mason.
Sir: Since my No. 6, of 19th July, I have received three communications from you, (not numbered,) all of which arrived on the 25th August. I also received duplicate of your No. 11, of May 16.
To your general despatch of June 23 the number 12 has been affixed. To another despatch of same date, in relation to a newly invented gunpowder, the number 13 has been affixed; and to your despatch of June 24, in relation to counterfeit issues of the confederate treasury notes and other southern paper currency, the number 14 has been affixed. I pray you to make your own numbers conform to these, and to notify your secretary of this oversight, that it may not be repeated.
Your Nos. 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are still missing, and, for the regularity of the archives of the department, I beg you to forward duplicates of them.
[Here the body of this despatch to Mr. Mason is precisely the same with that addressed to Mr. Slidell, under date of Richmond, September 26, 1862, as above printed, It concludes as follows:]
I enclose you, for information, copy of a despatch sent to Mr. Mann on the subject of a recent convention between the United States and the King of Denmark relative to Africans captured from slavers at sea. It may be well to have an eye to the movements of the enemy in the disposal of slaves captured from our people, and you will perceive by the instructions to Mr. Mann what are the president’s views on this interesting matter.
I must again request of you to have communicated to Mr. Mann a copy of that part of this despatch which relates to the war and present state of the country, as it is out of my power to write to him by this conveyance.
I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,
Hon. James M. Mason, &c., &c., &c., London.