Señor Benitez to Mr. Washburn.
I have the honor to acknowledge the reception of your note of the 26th instant, in which, referring to my observation on the expediency of your carrying a passport, in case you went into the country, you were pleased to say that you had never yet been molested for want of one, but had ever been treated with civility by everybody, citizens as well as soldiers; yet, at my suggestion, that in these troublous times, when double vigilance was required, a passport might be of service to you, to prevent you being molested by officers, and to prevent other difficulties, therefore you requested a passport of that character to be sent to you as soon as possible, to prevent any misunderstanding. In reply, I must say to you, that when I offered you a passport for the special occasion of an excursion into the country, when you would have to go out of the capital, it was done with the intention of preventing any misunderstanding with the patrol and military sentinels of the military post where you had your residence, and with officials outside of those limits to whom you might not be personally known. I would have sent you the passport immediately, if you had been civil enough to inform me where you wanted to go.
I beg, therefore, that you will indicate this circumstance, with the understanding that this department has no other interest in knowing it than to save you from trouble, and if you do not see fit to do so, as [Page 725] appears in your note, to which this is a reply, we will not insist on its acceptance.
Yours, &c.,
Hon. Charles A. Washburn, &c., &c., &c.