Writing letters to Jeff Davis a no-no! per Secretary Seward
From The New-York Times December 21, 1861:
ARREST OF SENATOR JONES.; HE IS SENT TO FOR LAFAYETTE.
Detective FARLEY yesterday arrested Mr. GEORGE W. JONES, formerly a Senator of the United States, from the State of Iowa. During the Administration of Mr. BUCHANAN he was the United States Minister to Bogota, South America, where he has resided for the last three or four years. He has recently left the latter place and come on to Washington to settle up his business with the Government. He had a protracted interview with Secretary SEWARD on Thursday, and left Washington on the afternoon train of that day for New-York.
1859 - right before mission to Bogota
At a late hour on Thursday night, Superintendent KENNEDY received a telegram from the State Department at Washington, stating in substance that Mr. JONES had taken leave of Washington, and was on his way to New-York; that he would probably arrive at Jersey City at 5 o’clock yesterday morning. The dispatch further stated that Mr. JONES was believed to be in communication with the authorities of the Southern Confederacy, and that it was thought best that he should be arrested without delay. The Superintendent was therefore requested to dispatch a sufficient number of officers to Jersey City, in order to take the accused into custody upon his arrival there. …
The rest of the story goes into detail about Jones’ arrest and how surprised Jones was that Seward would have him arrested after he had just concluded a cordial conversation with him. George Wallace Jones was one of Iowa’s first two U.S. senators. Apparently Seward wanted him arrested because of correspondence with Jefferson Davis. President Lincoln had him released after 34 days.
Yes, Virginia, ...
