policy of the Union party is to effect a peaceable change in the views of the inhabitants of the State, and that object they intend to accomplish, to a great extent, through the agency of the press and ballot-box. I think I am authorized in saying that, in the opinion of the leading men of the Union party, a few thousand dollars employed in the support of newspapers, in different parts of the State, would in a short time effect a complete revolution in public sentiment. It is in this way, and in this way only, they intend to carry out their views.

Under present circumstances, my only course appears to be to embark the troops as directed in instructions from the headquarters of the Army, under date of the 12th ultimo.* One transport, carrying nearly six hundred officers and men, has already left for New York, and another, with about an equal number of persons, will soon sail. The officer in command of the first transport has been directed to leave two companies of the First Infantry at Key West.

The funds and artillery referred to in the letter from the General-in-Chief not, under present circumstances, be wanted. I deem it proper to state that the communication from the General-in-Chief of the 19th ultimo, and also the duplicate of the same, were opened at Indianola by Captain King, First Infantry, and at Green Lake by Bvt. Major L. Smith, Eighth Infantry, and I fear that other persons were made acquainted with their contents. I immediately wrote to Major Smith to take measures to prevent a knowledge of these instructions being made public. Captain King sailed in the first transport for New York.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. A. WAITE,

Colonel, U. S. Army, Commanding the Department.

To the ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL,

Headquarters of the Army, Washington, D. C.

P. S.-My headquarters will remain at San Antonio until the arrival of all the troops from the interior.

C. A. W.

[Inclosure.]

AUSTIN, March 29, 1861.

DEAR SIR: I have received intelligence that you have, or will soon receive, orders to concentrate United States troops under your command at Indianola, in this State, to sustain me in the exercise of my official functions. Allow me most respectfully to decline any such assistance of the United States Government, and to most earnestly protest against the concentration of troops or fortifications in Texas, and request that you remove all such troops out of this State at the earliest day practicable, or, at any rate, by all means take no action towards hostile movements till further ordered by the Government at Washington City, or particularly of Texas.

Thine,

SAM HOUSTON.

Colonel WAITE, U. S. Army, San Antonio, Texas.

[Inclosure 2.]

AUSTIN, March 29, 1861.

SIR: I have reached Texas as confidential messenger of the administration to the governor of the State. Lieutenant-General Scott, by

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* See "Correspondence and Orders, etc.," p.598.

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