Catharine's. This messenger, it is
proper to say, was a skilful person in
our secret service who had succeeded
in so ingratiating himself with the
rebel Commissioners that they em
ployed him as ia despatch bearer to
carry their most secret messages be
tween Canada and Richmond. Every
one of his messages lie brought to the
War D)epartment on his way. The
practice there was to retain copies of
them, and then send foiward the
originals. But this despatch of C'lay's
vas deemed of such importance, con
taining, as it dlid, such unquestionable
information respecting the hostile
operations of the Confederates along
our northern frontier, and respecting
tie attempt to burn New York city
through incendiary fires at Blarnumm's
Museum and elsewhere, tlimt Mr. Stan
ton and IMr. Lincoln thought it neces
sary to retain the orignal paper. Ac
cordingly, in order to save the mes
senger from suspicion and to continue
him in his useful function as a rebel
despatch bearer, the paper was re
turned to him, and lie was captured
beyond Alexandria with it on his per
son. He was brought to the War De
partment at a late hour of the night,
and the despatch was found in its
receptacle beneath the lining of 'his
trousers. It was opened and its char
acter verified on the spot, Gen. Augur,
then in command of Washington, be
ing one of the official witnesses em
ployed for this purpose.
The reason for tllhus takilg p]oses
sion of the original despatch wxas
that it might be used with the Hi'tish
Governuient as the starting point of
our effort to prevent the further har
boring in Canada of enemies of the
United States who counl engage in
projects of lsuchl an extreme nature.
