of the counties or districts in which it should be made to apply. If there be anything further I can do, please let me know without hesitation. Everything now depends upon the firmness and vigor with which You put these measures into operation. Their success will put You in the front rank of statesmen in the West. You may rely upon me to aid You to the full extent of my ability. You occupy in this mater an unassailable position, and all parties in the State will support You in time. You will have the sympathy of the Administration and of the whole public sentiment of the country. It is my purpose to strengthen then Your position in the State by deferring to You in all matters regarding Missouri affairs, and by referring to You all controversies arising in Missouri in which citizens or communities are concerned. My object in doing this is explained in the following extracts from a letter to the President. You will see the force of the reasons, and I don't doubt will appreciate them. Please write me fully and frankly on all matters which relate to this, or any other question in which I can aid You. You may feel assured of my hearty sympathy and co-operation:

It is of course desirable that, as there are now no organized forces of the enemy in Missouri, the General Government be relieved from all concern in the civil affairs of the State, and be required only to defend it against armed invasion. So long as U. S. troops remain in Missouri and interfere in any manner in the affairs of the State, they will be a constant source of embarrassment and a difficult obstacle to the renewal of civil administration; their presence alone, in their present attitude, will subject the General Government to a continuance of appeals and protests from the people of Missouri, and it will not be found possible to avoid more or less interference with civil affairs in the State through the military arm of the General Government. So long as the troops remain, and so long as martial law obtains, the people will feel a constant desire to appeal from the State executive and the civil laws to the military authorities and to the General Government, and no step will be taken toward a resumption of local civil administration. The people of Missouri will never learn to conduct their own affairs whilst they find an appeal from their State officers to the officers of the General Government. Remove that source of difficulty and they will soon learn that they must depend upon themselves and their State government as their final resort for justice. * * * There is a loyal State executive and civil officers and a large loyal majority in the State, and I cannot see why it is not abundantly able to settle all controversies between its own citizens, without referring them to the Administration at Washington. So long as these appeals are listened to at Washington, just that long they will continue to be made and the affairs of Missouri to remain unsettled. The best thing, I think, which can now be done is to leave the people of Missouri to settle their own affairs, only guaranteeing them protection from the invasion of armed forces of the rebels. This is what I desire and propose to do, with Your approval, and as I shall do northing whatever to interfere in any manner with the civil affairs of the State, or with its citizens, and I consider it very unwise to do so, I trust that all appeals to Your Excellency, requiring such action from me, be referred where I shall refer them, and where, I think, they ought to be referred, viz, to the State authorities. These authorities will never command the respect of the people until it is found that they, and not the General Government, are final appeal of the people of Missouri.

I am, governor, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN POPE,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Fort Leavenworth, March 20, 1865.

Major-General POPE,

Saint Louis:

The Indians on Cimarron attacked train on south route, but were driven off by guard. I have no faith in any peace with them.

G. M. DODGE,

Major-General.