and that he be advised at the same time to continue his enrollment. The officer in the meantime could get such information as would guide the military for the future. The whole case will no doubt be placed before the general by the provost-marshal of the State, yet I deem it my duty to give him all the knowledge I have on the subject with my opinions.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. F. MAURY,

Colonel First Oregon Cavalry, Commanding.

RICHMOND, December 16, 1863.

His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS,

President of the Confederate States of America:

SIR: I came but recently from California for the purpose of obtaining the co-operation of this Government in the consummation of a great and important enterprise. Immediately upon my arrival within the Confederacy I submitted the matter to Generals Magruder and Smith, who highly approved of the enterprise. General Smith wrote to the Secretary of War upon the subject ant directed that I proceed to Richmond and lay the whole matter before Your Excellency. Upon arriving here I found Your Excellency absent, and through proper to submit the matter to the Secretary of War, which I did in the nature of a proposition "To retake the permanently hold the Territorial government therein, to establish a permanent thoroughfare through that Territory of Arizona, to establish and maintain the Confederate Territorial government therein, to establish a permanent thoroughfare through that Territory and thus maintain an unbroken intercourse between California and the Confederacy, to be accomplished by forces drawn wholly from California. " I have now just returned from Shreveport for the purpose of presenting the matter to Your Excellency in person, and as time is of vast importance in the premises, I hope Your Excellency will be pleased to favor me with a personal interview at the earliest possible moment.

I have the honor to be, Your Excellency's most obedient servant,

L. W. HASTINGS.

[Inclosure.]

His Excellency the PRESIDENT OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA:

SIR: I have the honor to submit to Your Excellency the following proposition, namely: I propose to immediately return by way of Mexico to California and there raise from 3,000 to 5,000 troops, whom I will introduce into Arizona as miners and emigrants to Mexico, and with whom I will reduce the forts and capture the troops with all the Federal property now in that Territory, take and hold permanent possession thereof in the name of the Confederarcy, establish and maintain the Confederate Territorial government therein, keep the thoroughfare open from the Pacific to Texas, and maintain an unbroken intercourse betwed the Confederate States, so as to enable the thousands of Californians who desire to aid in the Confederate cause to do so at will and with safety. All of which having been fully accompalished and the forces sufficiently augmented, I will then in like manner occupy and permanently hold the Territory of New Mexico, thus securing to the Confederate Government not only immediate and efficient military aid with its best moral influence both at home and abroad, but also a connecting link between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the best and