Committee of the Senate of the United States." I may add that in the opinion of those who know him best it is not his intention to accept the brigadiership, his hued and cry for that position having only been raised at a time when he thought it probable that Stanton (or whomsoever was Governor Robinson's nominee) might oust him from the Senate. They say that he will never resign his seat in the Senate unless he can have supreme control of this department, with liberty to appoint his personal adherents and the legion of army contractors who follow in his wake in charge of the quartermaster's and subsistence departments of the public service in Kansas. This statement I believe.

As to the vote obtained by him in the Kansas Legislature, asking that he be appointed major-general, &c., I have heard from men thoroughly informed that it was also "jayhawked" from the reluctant lips of an overwhelming opposition majority by Lane's positive promise to resign his Senatorship forthwith in case it was passed. This made all Lane's legislative enemies his most active friends, on the principle of "anything to get rid of him," and all the aspirants for his seat at once impressed their friends into voting anything that would create a vacancy.

Now, what is to be done with this erratic Senator, or how are the authorities at Washington to be convinced that it is neither wise nor quite decorous to act in matters vitally affecting a department without the knowledge or sanction of the department commander? On these points I have to ask light from you, my "confidential" relations being apparently confined to Senator Lane, while you, and very deservedly, I confess, are believed to receive beams from the light of "the inner sanctuary.

Disappointed himself, Lane is now bent on making trouble and obstructing the expedition which he finds he cannot control. He is bestirring himself in a thousand little irritating processes, trying to make a quarrel or "disagreement" with me his present pretext for backing out of an employment which he never intended to accept. As a specimen of the work he is at and the friends he is working with I send you his copy of a telegram sent to him a few days since, a copy having been sent to me by a friend at Washington:

WASHINGTON.

General LANE, Fort Leavenworth:

I have been with the man you name. Hunter will not get the enemy or men be requires. His command cannot go forward. Hold on. Don't resign your seat.

JOHN COVODE.

And now, having given you a pretty thorough insight of the shape of matters here, and reserving a statement of my own plans and the military condition of the department for another letter, I am, general, very truly and obedient, yours,

D. HUNTER.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, March 7, 1862.

E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War, Washington:

The Department of the Ohio and the Missouri be under one general head. If not, all south of the Cumberland River should be added to this department. If I can have the general charge of the two, I would leave General Buell in the particular command of his present