appointed by the governor of the State will not be complied with, and the Government could not accept officers appointed by a traitor under any circumstances.

As the brigade will be under command of General Lyon, will it not be best to allow him to nominate the officers, subject to the approval of the President? Send him the order by telegraph immediately.

The agreement between Harney and General Price gives me great disgust and dissatisfaction to the Union men; but I am in hopes we can get along with it, and think that Harney will insist on its execution to the fullest extent, in which case it will be satisfactory.

F. P. BLAIR, Jr.

WASHINGTON, May 27, 1861.

Brigadier General W. S. HARNEY,

Commanding Department of the West, Saint Louis, Mo.:

SIR: The President observes with concern that, notwithstanding the pledge of the State authorities to co-operate in preserving peace in Missouri, loyal citizens in great numbers continue to be driven from their homes. It is immaterial whether these outrages continue from inability or indisposition on the part of the State authorities to prevent them. It is enough that they continue to devolve on you the duty of putting a stop to them summarily by the force under your command, to be aided by such troops as you may require from Kansas, Iowa, and Illinois. The professions of loyalty to the Union by the State authorities of Missouri are not to be relied upon. They have already falsified their professions too often, and are too far committed to secession to be entitled to your confidence, and you can only be sure of their desisting from their wicked purposes when it is out of their power to prosecute them. You will therefore be unceasingly watchful of their movements, and not permit the clamors of their partisans and opponents of the wise measures already taken to prevent you from checking every movement against the Government, however disguised, under the pretended State authority. The authority of the United States is paramount, and whenever it is apparent that a movement, whether by color of State authority or not, is hostile, you will not hesitate to put it down.

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

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE WEST,
Saint Louis, Mo., May 28, 1861.

General GEORGE B. McCLELLAN, U. S. A.,

Commanding Department of the Ohio, Cincinnati, Ohio:

GENERAL: In compliance with the request contained in your communication of the 26th instant, I have ordered a regiment of Missouri volunteers to report to Brigadier-General Prentiss, commanding at Cairo, for service at Bird's Point, and it will leave Saint Louis Arsenal to-day for its destination. It has not been practicable to dispatch this command from here at an earlier moment. I regret to state that the regiment is not thoroughly equipped for field service. Knapsacks, haversacks, canteens, cartridge-boxes, belts, and bayonet scabbards are