effort the last four weeks to incite assassins to finish their work by murdering me. Please give the matter your immediate attention on receiving the letter, and secure copies of all the Tribunes published since the night of the President's murder, and get the names of the owners. I propose to prosecute criminally and also by civil suit, for I shall not allow them to have me murdered and escape responsibility without a struggle for life on my part.

EDWIN M. STANTON.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, May 13, 1865.

(Sent 9.35 a.m. 14th.)

Major-General HALLECK,

Richmond:

The President has appointed General Howard commissioner of the Fredmen's Bureau, and it will be immediately organized. I wish you would examine the lists of lands confiscated at Norfolk and those offered for sale for taxes and let me know what should be secured for freedmen and refugees.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

RICHMOND, VA., May 13, 1865.

(Received 11 a.m.)

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT:

Nothing yet heard of the party sent to Lynchburg. There is no telegraph line to that place.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General.

RICHMOND, VA., May 13, 1865.

(Received 5 p.m.)

Brevet Major-General MEIGS,

Quartermaster-General, Washington:

The railroad companies to whom the roads in Virginia will be turned over cannot run the trains unless paid for transporting Government freight and troops. To pay such freight I think will be much more economical than to run the roads at the Government expense. We might in some cases aid in repairing bridges, &c., in payment for such transportation. The labor of freedmen whom we are obliged to feed might be advantageously applied in this way as soon as the planting season is over. The expense of repairing the railroad from Burkeville to Lynchburg will be too great to be undertaken at present. To supply the garrison at that place and to afford a means of bringing the produce of the Valley, fuel, &c., to this city, it will be much cheaper to reopen the canal, which is State property. It is already opened to New Canton and can be easily repaired to Lynchburg. I think the labor of freedmen whom we feed and clothe can advantageously be applied here. It is almost impossible for railroad companies and farmers to give employment to these people, as they have no means to purchase provisions. I have just seen a good Union man, formerly a wealthy planter, who informs me that there are over 500 liberated slaves on his farm.