Letter (No. 71) of Dudley Mann to J. P. Benjamin
Source: United States, Naval War Records Office
Title: Official records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion. / Series II - Volume 3: Proclamations, Appointments, etc. of President Davis; State Department Correspondence with Diplomatic Agents, etc.
Publisher: Government Printing Office
Publication date: 1922
Place of Publication: Washington
Pages: 985 - 986
Copied from: Cornell University's MoA Multivolume Monographs, Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion (1894 - 1922)
[No. 71]
SIR: Upon quitting Rome I went direct to Naples, an agreeable railroad run of nine hours’ duration.
I was anxious to see the operations of a liberal system of government upon the recognized "Queen City" of southern Europe. It had been often said that no political influences could relieve her from the enervating effects of a tropical climate; that it was not so much tyrannous rule as a scorching sun that impaired her energies; but to my astonishment, I found her among the most demonstrative commercial cities which I have visited upon the Continent. In all the pursuits in which she is engaged there seems to be an industrious activity which would contrast not unfavorably with that of New Orleans in her most prosperous days. Numbering already some 500,000 inhabitants her course seems to be rapidly onward and upward. I was assured, from various reliable sources, that she had entered upon an utterly new existence since she cast off the iron yoke of King Bomba; that she was eminently prosperous; that the idle did not infest her streets as formerly; and that labor was adequately rewarded for its toils.
After a sojourn of four days I embarked for Leghorn, and from thence traveled leisurely—stopping at Pisa, Florence, and Bologna several days—to Turin, where I remained only eighteen hours. The King was absent. Had he been at home I should have been inclined to ask an audience of him, as a citizen of the Confederate States.
Throughout Italy, as far as I was enabled to ascertain from my bankers and numerous other intelligent individuals, enlightened public sentiment is beginning steadily to array itself against "Lincoln and Company," and to manifest an earnest desire for the establishment of peace. There is no longer a charm in the name of Garibaldi. even for the masses. He is generally esteemed as patriotic, pure and heroic. but deplorably deficient in that most essential quality to the creation of true greatness—common sense. The impious comparison which he made of Abraham Lincoln to Jesus Christ has damaged largely his reputation in all Catholic circles while it has popularized our cause.
From Turin I crossed over Mont Cenis and hastened to this metropolis, where I arrived at 8 o’clock the day after Christmas. At 11 I visited Mr. Slidell, who immediately dispatched his servant to inform Mr. Mason that I was with him. In a few minutes Mr. Mason came in. I then communicated to them in detail the incidents of my mission to Rome, and placed before them copies of the correspondence between the President and the Pope. After its careful perusal, they united in opinion that its early publication on this side of the Atlantic was of almost paramount importance to the influencing of valuable public opinion, in both hemispheres, in our favor. I hesitated as to the propriety of such a procedure with respect to the letter of the Pope, before the reception of its contents by the President, notwithstanding his Holiness prepared it for universal dissemination. I preferred to give, instead, its supposed substances with the direction, which in itself was positive recognition. But I was met by the remark that the nature of the document for practical effect, would be vastly impaired before it could appear to the public eye at Richmond under the authorization of the President. I then placed in the hands of Mr. Slidell a copy of the correspondence, which was subsequently recopied by Mr. Eustis. Mr. Slidell was to go to-day to the foreign office to secure its insertion in the Moniteur.
I leave here at 5 o’clock this afternoon for Brussels. After a sojourn there of a few days, where a heavy correspondence of two months’ accumulation awaits me, I shall go over to London to make the result of my visit to Rome as advantageously known as possible. Mr. Mason and Mr. Slidell cordially approved of this intention. Indeed, I was earnestly urged by them not to relinquish my purpose.
I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Hon. J. P. BENJAMIN,
Secretary of State, C. S. A., Richmond, Va.
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