No. 2.
_To His Excellency the Governor General, &c., in answer
to his letter of instructions, &c._
MONTREAL, _Feb._ 10, 1809.
SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your
Excellency's letter of instructions, the letter of credence,
and the cipher for carrying on my correspondence. I have
bestowed much pains upon the cipher, and am, notwithstanding
this, deficient in some points which might enable me to
understand it clearly. I have compared the example with my
own exemplification of the cipher, and find a difference in
the results; and as the present moment seems favorable to
the interference of His Majesty's Government in the measures
pursued by the Federal party in the Northern States, and more
especially as the Assembly of Massachusetts is now in session,
I think it better to set forward immediately, than wait for
any further explanation of the means of carrying on a secret
correspondence, which the frequency of safe private conveyances
to Canada will render almost wholly unnecessary. Should it,
however, be necessary at any time, I take leave to suggest
that the index alone furnishes a very safe and simple mode.
In it there is a number for every letter in the alphabet, and
particular numbers for particular phrases; so that when I do
not find in the index the particular word I want, I can spell
it with the figures which stand opposite to the letters. For
example, if I want to say that "troops are at Albany," I find
under the letter T, that No. 16 stands for "troops," and number
125 for "Albany;" the intervening words "are at" I supply by
figures corresponding with the letters in these words.
It will be necessary to provide against accident by addressing
the letters to Mr. ----, of Montreal, with a small mark on
the corner of the envelope, which he will understand. When
he receives it he will then address the enclosure to your
Excellency, and send it from Montreal by mail. I will be
careful not to address your Excellency in the body of the
letter, nor sign my name to any of them. They will be merely
designated by the initials A. B.
If this mode should, in any respect, appear exceptionable, your
Excellency will have the goodness to order a more particular
explanation of the card. It would reach me in safety enclosed
to ----, Boston.
I have the honor to be, with profound respect, your
Excellency's most obedient servant, &c.