what purposes you will be at no loss to understand, but I am glad to say that the persons who will thus seek to influence you are men of broken personal and political fortunes, who have objects in view very remote from the public interests. That you may realize what these motives are, and who are the persons, I inclose you some extracts from letters from Colonel S. Miller, the nominee of the late Republican convention for Governor of Minnesota. He will be elected by a very large vote, and his opinions, therefore, are entitled to weight, as they will regulate his action as Governor. You will see at once they very same names as of the persons who have been investing the War Department urging movements or organizations, and finding fault with the conduct of military affairs in Minnesota. The difference is that, whereas a couple of months ago they were ridiculing the size of Sibley's expedition, and urging that the force was too large; that a small body of cavalry was sufficient; that Sibley would not see an Indian; that the Indians had divided into small parties, &c., now they complain and protest that the whole of the force in Minnesota is absolutely needed for their protection. Results have shown how far they were right two months ago, and it is not too much to say that they are quite as far wrong now in their new light. That the coalition between Wilkinson, an immaculate Republican, and Rice, an equally immaculate Democrat, is perfect, you will be at no loss to see from Miller's letters, and it is an alliance both political and financial. It will be utterly broken down in Minnesota at this election.

I inclose also the resolutions of the Copperhead convention at Saint Paul,* from which you will see that, properly manipulated, they resolve that the Indian war must be vigorously prosecuted, &c., which means that all the troops must be kept tin Minnesota for the benefit of contractors. The Copperhead ticket will be beaten by 10,000 votes at least.

The alliance between Wilkinson and Rice is well enough understood in Minnesota. Wilkinson has been discarded by his party. He never had strength in it, and his election to the Senate, resulting from competition between prominent men of the party, surprised everybody. To his other disqualifications and unpopularity, he has of late added bad personal habits, and in his desperation a the certainty of falling into total obscurity after his term expires, he has joined Rice, who is about as desperately broken down as himself. Whilst the one has political purposes, the other has financial, and my objection to Hatch and his organization is simply because Hatch is but an instrument of Rice, as he has been for years, and the organization is simply to be used to promote the effects I have named. I shall use Hatch's battalion, however, to the best purpose, replacing it by troops I shall send south. Of the co-operation of the Interior Department with these people, I dislike to speak. The history of the Indian agents and the management of Indian affairs on the frontier by the Indian Department would fully develop the reason of this alliance. Whilst Indian agents become rich, Indians become poor, dissatisfied, and hostile. It will not be difficult for you to arrive at these facts from anybody who lives on the frontier and is not connected with these transactions. Many very good and honest people are affected by the influences put in operation by these men, and the fear of Indian hostilities which they excite; but this will wear out in time. Last winter Rice threw the whole eastern frontier of the State into a paroxysm of alarm by telling them gravely, as he came through the country from Lake Superior, that, as soon as the snow fell, the whole Chippewa Nation would take the war-path and ravage

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*Not found.

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