and they cheered the proposition.
Carey then stated that this was the first proposition the committee
desired to present. He had other important ones, however, that must be
considered by the assembly. While in Richmond he found many men of great
courage and daring who were ready to do anything to bring success if
they could be sustained and protected. The authorities gave him the
proposals and directed him to lay them before this assembly.

"The second was made by a foreigner--a man of good family in Europe,
and a most daring and courageous man, an educated soldier, who had been
successful in very many daring enterprises heretofore. His proposition
was read to the assembly, being a verbatim copy of the one this party
had made to the President of the Confederacy through the Confederate
Secretary of War, which was as follows:

"'Secretary of War of the Southern Confederacy.

"'Sir: In reference to the subject upon which I had the
honor to converse with you yesterday, and on account of
which you bade me call to-day, I take herewith the freedom
to address this most respectful writing to you. Your Honor
seemed to hesitate in giving me an affirmative answer to my
statement because I was unknown to you. Permit me to remark
that, notwithstanding I can give you no references in this
country, I am, nevertheless, worthy of your high confidence.
My grandfather, Maj. Baron De Kalb, fell in the
Revolutionary War of this country. * * * I received an
education proportionate to the means of my parents, and
served in the Crimean war as Second Lieutenant of Engineers.
* * * I landed in Quebec, Canada, in November last, and
arrived in Washington, D. C, about three weeks ago. I cannot
perceive why you should require any references or
confidence, for I do not expect personally to reap any
benefit before the strict performance of what I undertake.
The task I know is connected with some danger, but never
will it, in any event, become known in the North that the
Southern Confederacy had anything whatever to do with it.

"'The whole matter resolves itself, therefore, into this one
question: Does the Southern Confederacy consider the
explosion of the Federal Capitol at a time when Abe, his
myrmidons, and the Northern Congress are all assembled
together, of sufficient importance to grant me, in case of
succes