Mr. Benjamin to Mr. Mason, September 26, 1862

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,