cannot be governed by military law, in all their relatither and with the outside world, without a very serious inconvenience to all parties concerned. The patriotic stand of the settlers in their attachment to the Union, and their handsome contribution to the sanitary fund, will, I ma confident, be the strongest appeal to your sense of right and justice to investigate their condition and to remove any and all embarrassing obstacles. I must here observe that having a copy of the treaty between General Scott and Governor Douglas in regard to the occupation of the island now before me, I see no stipulation in that document that would be violated or even infringed upon by the exercise of the laws of Washington Territory on the island. I cannot conclude without an allusion to a petition prepared and signed by a few persons in or about the month of March last. This set forth that "We, a majority of the citizens of San juan Island, do not concur in the resolutions passed at meeting at Frazer's house, in the woods, on the 1st day of February, 1863. " I am authorized to ask (by several of the pricipal men on the island) for a copy of this petition, they believing it to be signed by fictitious names. If such be the case, I conssider it the strongest corroborative evidence of the truth of my statements, based as they are on the word and integrity of many of the best men on the island, as well as my own actual knowledge of some of the facts here set forth. There can be no doubt but there is something wrong about the getting up of this petition. It was written and signed with all possible secrecy and caution. It was signed by fiver or six persons whom it is well known the y can neither read nor write their own names, and very possibly did not know what it meant. It was signed by, perhaps, four otehrs from personal motives, and who would be very much chagrined and disappointed by the operation of any other than a strict militay law. We respectfully ask for a copy of the petition in question at your earliest convenience. Should it prove to be a fictition it would be as necessary for you to know it as it is for us. I believe the prayer of it was granted, and if we are correct in our opiniojns about it, it was a very shabby imposition on th general commanding the Deaprtment of t he Pacific.

Very respectfully, lyour obedient servant,

JAMES KAVANAGH,

Sheriff of Whatcom County.

[Indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS DEAPRTMENT OFTHE PACIFIC,
August 31, 1863.

Respectfully referred to Brigaadier-General Alvord, commanding Distrit of Oregon, whose familiarity with the questions discussed and being nearer the scene will enable him to take charge of this matter and do full justice to all parties. The geenral commanding has no objection to the civil authority exercising their proper functions on that part of the island over which the military commandant of our Government execises control, but they must not, in the present state of afairs, attempt to exercise authority over the northern half- that under charge of the English commandant. The residents in southern half of the island must behave themselves, and not make it a nest for gamblers and drining shops. The general confides to GeneralAlvord everything that it is proper should be done int he matter.

By order of Brigadier-General Wright:

R. C. DRUM,

Assistant Adjutant-General.