proximo. Have received no reply to my dispatch about co-operation of U. S. officers in this State, which I much need. ALLEN C. FULLER, Adjutant-General. CONFIDENTIAL.] STATE OF INDIANA, EXECUTIVE DEPT., Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.: DEAR SIR: I desire to call your especial attention to certain mátters existing in this State which, in my judgment, deeply concern the welfare and interest of both the State and General Governments. The fact is well established that there is a secret political organization in Indiana, estimated and claimed to be 10,000 strong, the leading objects of which are to embarrass all efforts to recruit men for the military service of the United States, to embitter public sentiment and manufacture public opinion against the levying and collection of taxes to defray the expenses of the present war, and generally to create distrust in and bad feeling toward the Government and its recognized and legally constituted authorities. Another object is to circulate and foster newspapers of extremely doubtful loyalty papers that sympathize with the rebellion and oppose and disparage continually and persistently the efforts of the Government to put down traitors and crush out treason. The sheets particularly favored in this way I believe to be the Indiana State Sentinel, published in this city; the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Dayton Empire, and the Chicago Times. They are doing incalculable injury to the Union cause, not, it is true, openly and in plain terms, but by invidious, malignant, and vituperative attacks upon Union men, by their continued apologies for the crimes committed by the leaders of the rebellion, and by their failure to condemn their cause and conduct. By means of these presses bad feeling, discontent, and a disposition to resist the laws are engendered in the minds of many citizens, not only in Indiana, but in many of the neighboring counties in Kentucky, who have become insolent and abusive toward those engaged in the military service and those who are endeavoring to raise additional troops for our armies. In regard to the course of the Sentinel I can positively state that in its sympathies it is as thoroughly opposed to our Government as the Charleston Mercury or Richmond Enquirer, even where its disguise is but transparent and does not even serve as a cloak for its real opinions and sentiments. The rebel prisoners confined in Camp Morton, in this city, regard and esteem it as their defender, ally, and friend. Recently it has published a series of articles with the intent and for the purpose of creating a distrust in the minds of the people as to the constitutionality and validity of the act of Congress making the Treasury notes issued by the Government a legal tender. I mention this particular matter only to show the general character of this sheet. Its general tone and tenor is to oppose whatever the Government favors, to show that, whatever our resources and ability may be, we cannot carry the war to a successful termination without violating and breaking down the Constitution which we profess to be fighting to preserve, asserting that the responsibility of the war rests wholly upon the North, without a single word in condemnation of the traitors of the South, charging repeatedly and boldly that the sole aim and object is to interfere with their rights by securing the abolition of slavery. The organization alluded to is confined to no particular locality, but evidently is in operation in every county in the State. Its members are bound by oaths and their meetings are guarded by armed men. These facts have been coming to me for some weeks past from all parts of the State, substantiated by evidence which leaves no doubt in my mind of their truth. I am forced to believe that the present is the most critical period in our history since the commencement of the present war. I deem it of vital importance to the Government that immediate, vigorous, and effective steps be taken to break up these unlawful and dangerous combinations, and to correct the evils complained of. Our efforts to aid and assist in carrying out the wishes of the Government are greatly impeded; our plans are interfered with and thwarted, and the feelings of our patriotic and loyal citizens are estranged and insulted. Such a state of things cannot long exist, and if a change for the better is not effected no one can foresee the result. As an important and necessary measure, allow me to recommend that at least ten thousand stand of good arms be furnished as early as possible for the use of our loyal citizens to be organized as militia throughout the State, under the law creating the "Indiana Legion." I cannot undertake the organization of this force until I know certainly that the arms will be supplied, and when. The "Legion" has already been efficiently organized in most of the counties bordering on the Ohio River. It has been very valuable as a means for raising three-years' troops, several regiments having been almost entirely made up from it. I am confident similar results will follow after its organization in other parts of the State. The five regiments recently called for from this State for service during the war are progressing very slowly. I have just issued a special proclamation with reference to them and hope to succeed in getting them up during the summer, but the difficulties from the causes mentioned are greatly increased. I respectfully submit these matters for your early consideration, and trust my suggestions in regard to arms may meet with your approbation, and that some plan to correct the evils complained of may be speedily devised. Very truly, your obedient servant, O. P. MORTON. Hon. E. M. STANTON, BRATTLEBOROUGH, VT., June 25, 1862. Secretary of War: The Ninth Vermont Regiment is nearly full and will be ready for marching in some ten days. Probably the Tenth Regiment could be recruited in some forty to fifty days from this date, though it would be considerably above Vermont's quota of any call yet made by Government. If the Government needs the Tenth Regiment, and you make direct requisition for it, we will raise it. Please answer immediately. 12 R R-SERIES III, VOL II FREDK. HOLBROOK, Governor HOLBROOK, WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, D. C., June 26, 1862. Brattleborough, Vt.: Please organize your Tenth Regiment. It is needed by the Government, and will be received if organized within the period stated in your telegram of yesterday to this Department. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War: DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: I have the honor to inform you that I have just held an interview with Mr. Stuart, Her Britannic Majesty's chargé d'affaires, in the course of which he has assured me that the letters of Mr. Coppell, the British acting consul at New Orleans, to the legation here, and everything else concerning him which has come to their knowledge, have uniformly shown entire fairness toward this Government. It is to be apprehended, therefore, that General Butler in his correspondence with Mr. Coppell, especially that which relates to certain sugars at New Orleans, must have assumed a contrary hypothesis, and that in the severity of his remarks he has done that gentleman injustice. I will, consequently, thank you to communicate the fact, and express to General Butler the President's desire that he will do what he can toward removing from Mr. Coppell's mind the impression of injury which he may have done to that gentleman. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, WILLIAM H. SEWARD. WILLIAM C. BARNEY, New York: WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, D. C., June 27, 1862. SIR: In reply to your letter of the 24th instant,* asking authority to raise a brigade to be composed of Catholics, I am directed to say that the organization of the volunteer forces is placed under the exclusive control of Governors of States. They are accepted from them by regiments, and will be arranged in brigades as the necessities of the service may require. It is probable, however, that if a brigade is raised as suggested in your letter it can be kept together. It will be necessary, however, for you to apply to the Governor of New York and have the regiments ready for acceptance before this Department can act in the matter. By order of the Secretary of War: C. P. WOLCOTT, Assistant Secretary of War. # Omitted. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Hon. REVERDY JOHNSON, New Orleans, La.: SIR: The President regards the renewal of commerce at New Orleans and on the Mississippi and its tributaries as a most effective means of bringing this unhappy civil strife to an end and restoring the authority of the Federal Government. Such a restoration of trade is also calculated to deprive foreign powers of all excuse for sympathy with the insurgents. Under these circumstances he deeply regrets every case of collision that occurs, even unavoidably, between the military authorities at New Orleans and the consuls, merchants, and others concerned in commerce. While he will in all cases maintain the national rights, he desires to protect and guard the national honor in intercourse with foreign nations. A correspondence between Major-General Butler and the consuls of Great Britain, France, and Greece, in regard to a certain quantity of sugars claimed by certain British, French, and Grecian merchants, has been brought to the notice of this Department through a report of Major-General Butler made to the Secretary of War. The President desires and authorizes you, in addition to the special duties already assigned to you, to examine into the merits of that transaction and to report the facts thereupon to this Department, to the end that justice may be done in the matter. The carrying this instruction into effect may detain you at New Orleans longer than was anticipated, but the importance of the business makes it advisable that it should be adjusted prior to your departure.* I am, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON, WILLIAM H. SEWARD. COLUMBUS, OHIO, June 27, 1862. Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.: The Eighty-seventh Regiment (three-months' men), over 1,000 strong, leave for Annapolis on Sunday next. The field officers are able and experienced men. Recruiting for three-years' service progresses slowly, but steadily. Shall be able to give you three regiments by the 1st of August and the two others by the 1st of September. DAVID TOD, Governor. Hon. W. H. SEWARD: EXECUTIVE MANSION, MY DEAR SIR: My view of the present condition of the war is about as follows: The evacuation of Corinth and our delay by the flood in the Chickahominy has enabled the enemy to concentrate too much force in Richmond for McClellan to successfully attack. In fact, there soon will be no substantial rebel force anywhere else. But if we send all the force from here to McClellan the enemy will, before we can know of it, send a force from Richmond and take Washington. Or if a large part of the Western army be brought here to McClellan they * For Johnson's report of his mission to New Orleans, see Senate Executive Document No. 16, Thirty-seventh Congress, third session. will let us have Richmond and retake Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, &c. What should be done is to hold what we have in the West, open the Mississippi, and take Chattanooga and East Tennessee without more. A reasonable force should in every event be kept about Washington for its protection. Then let the country give us 100,000 new troops in the shortest possible time, which, added to McClellan, directly or indirectly, will take Richmond without endangering any other place which we now hold and will substantially end the war. I expect to maintain this contest until successful, or till I die, or am conquered, or my term expires, or Congress or the country forsake me; and I would publicly appeal to the country for this new force were it not that I fear a general panic and stampede would follow, so hard is it to have a thing understood as it really is. I think the new force should be all, or nearly all, infantry, principally because such can be raised most cheaply and quickly. Yours, very truly, The PRESIDENT: A. LINCOLN. JUNE 28, 1862. The undersigned, Governors of States of the Union, impressed with the belief that the citizens of the States which they respectively represent are of one accord in the hearty desire that the recent successes of the Federal arms may be followed up by measures which must insure the speedy restoration of the Union; and believing that in view of the present state of the important military movements now in progress and the reduced condition of our effective forces in the field, resulting from the usual and unavoidable casualties of the service, that the time has arrived for prompt and vigorous measures to be adopted by the people in support of the great interests committed to your charge, we respectfully request, if it meets with your entire approval, that you at once call upon the several States for such number of men as may be required to fill up all military organizations now in the field, and add to the armies heretofore organized such additional number of men as may in your judgment be necessary to garrison and hold all of the numerous cities and military positions that have been captured by our armies, and to speedily crush the rebellion that still exists in several of the Southern States, thus practically restoring to the civilized world our great and good Government. All believe that the decisive moment is near at hand, and to that end the people of the United States are desirous to aid promptly in furnishing all re-enforcements that you may deem needful to sustain our Government. Israel Washburn, jr., Governor of Maine; N. S. Berry, Governor of New Hampshire; Frederick Holbrook, Governor of Vermont; Wm. A. Buckingham, Governor of Connecticut; E. D. Morgan, Governor of New York; Charles S. Olden, Governor of New Jersey; A. G. Curtin, Governor of Pennsylvania; A. W. Bradford, Governor of Maryland; F. H. Peirpoint, Governor of Virginia; Austin Blair, Governor of Michigan; J. B. Temple, President Military Board of Kentucky; Andrew Johnson, Governor of Tennessee; H. R. Gamble, Governor of Missouri; O. P. Morton, Governor of Indiana; David Tod, Governor of Ohio; Alexander Ramsey, Governor of Minnesota; Richard Yates, Governor of Illinois; Edward Salomon, Governor of Wisconsin. |