county; and provided further, that no one citizen shall salt or cure more than ten barrels of fish for his own use, and there shall be no greater accumulation at any point within 7 miles of each other than one hundred battles of fish so cured, ad at no point any such accumulation be made more than 1 mile from navigable water of at least 4 feet draught.

As this permission is given wholly in deference to the wishes of the citizens of Chowan County, and for their use and benefit, and without any possible good to the United States except in taking care of its citizens, and with very possible harm if it is abused, the utmost good faith will be required of the citizens to carry out in the same spirit of fairness as it is permitted this business of fishing, and any abuse of this privilege, or any infraction of its terms, will be most severely dealt with as a breach of trust or confidence.

The seventh and last question, viz:

Seventh. We would further represent to Major- General Butler, in behalf of our fellow- citizens, that during the progress of this dreadful conflict we have been exempted to a great extent from the presence of troops in our midst, and as we conceive the locality to be devoid of military importance, we sincerely hope and trust that Major- General Butler may not order its occupation by any of the troops under his command.

Is answered in the answer to the first question, and in the general desires to call the attention of the committee and others than the citizens of the county to the fact that if their action is characterizes with good faith and true desire to preserve the peace of the county there will be no possible difficulty, and trouble can only result from the acts of bad men, who, either from hostility to the United States o r from love of gain, will hazard the interests of their fellow- citizens, and such men must be watched and restrained by the organized action of the citizens of the county, who have their own peace and quiet in their own hands.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

BENJ. F. BUTLER,

Major- General, Commanding.

[Inclosure.]

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Numbers 10.
DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND N. CAROLINA, Fort Monroe, Va., January 16, 1864.

To correct a misapprehension which seems to exist with the officers of this command as to their powers and duties in taking property for military purposes, and their accountability therefor; to afford just protection to peaceable and quiet citizens from unauthorized and lawless acts, and to enable them to obtain speedy redress and orderly manner only, such property and material as may be necessary and useful for military purposes, or to deprive the enemy thereof if likely to fall into the ir hands, or if found in the hands of those in rebellion or aiding the enemy; to give full force and effect to the example whenever it is found necessary to punish summarily offenses by the destruction of the property of offenders, it is ordered:

I. That private property of a peaceable inhabitant shall be seized only when needed for the use of the troops, either for shelter, trans