Abraham Lincoln - American Memory

57
Catherine's, Canada West, November 1, 1864, is an acknowledgment
and confession of what they had attempted, and a suggestion made
through J. P. Benjamin, rebel Secretary of State, of what remained
to be done, in order to make the "chemical preparations" efficient.
Speaking of this Bennett II. Young, he says : "You have doubtless
learned through the press of the United States of the raid on St. Albans
by about twenty-five confederate soldiers, led by Lieutenant Bennett H.
Young; of their attempt and failure to burn the town; of their robbery
of three banks there of the aggregate amount of about two hundred
thousand dollars ; of their arrest in Canada, by United States forces ; of
their commitment and the pending preliminary trial." He makes ap-
plication, in aid of Young and his associates, for additional documents,
showing that they acted upon the authority of the Confederate States
government, taking care to say,however,that he held such authority at
the time, but that it ought to be more explicit, so far as regards the par-
ticular acts complained of. He states that he met Young at Halifax in
May, 18G4, who developed his plans for retaliation on the enemy; that
he, Clay, recommended him to the rebel Secretary of War; that aftej
this "Young was sent back by the Secretary of War with a commission
as second lieutenant to execute his plans and purposes, but to report to
Hon. and myself." Young afterwards "proposed passing
through New England, burning some towns and robbing them of
whatever he could convert to the use of the confederate government.
This I approved as justifiable retaliation. He attempted to burn the
town of St. Albans, Vermont, and would have succeeded but for the fail-
ure of the chemical preparation with which he was armed. He then
robbed the banks of funds amounting to over two hundred thousand
dollars. That he was not prompted by selfish or mercenary motives
I am as well satisfied as I am that he is an honest man. He assured
me before going that his effort would be to destroy towns and farm-
houses, but not to plunder or rob; but he said if, after firing a town,
he saw he could take funds from a bank or any house, and thereby
might inflict injury upon the enemy and benefit his own government,
he would do so. He added most emphatically, that whatever he took
should be turned over to the government or its representatives in for-
eign lands. My instructions to him were, to destroy whatever was
valuable; not to stop to rob, but if, after firing a town, he could seize
and carry off money or treasury or bank notes, he might do so upon
condition that they were delivered to the proper authorities of the
Confederate States"—that is, to Clay himself.
When he wrote this letter it seems that this accredited agent of
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