through you that of the legislature of Texas, to the subject of frontier protection in connection with the enrollment acts of the Confederate Congress. It is highly important that there should be a distinct understanding between the State and the Confederate authorities on this subject. By the enrollment acts above referred to all male residents of Texas, between certain ages specified, are declared liable to military duty in the Army of the Confederate States. Certain classes of persons named in another act, for reasons of public policy, are exempted from service. There is, however, no exemption of any one by reason of his geographical locality. Those on the exposed coasts of Texas, upon its turbulent Mexican frontier, together with those on the Indian frontier, and in the interior, of the State are alike called upon for military service. The law was intended to operate alike on all persons in the State liable under its terms to military service. The law was intended to operate alike on all persons in the State liable under its terms to military duty. A system has been adopted by the State for the protection of the frontier that precludes the possibility of enforcing the conscript act without producing a disagreeable conflict between the State and Confederate authorities. By this system the State retains, at a great and unnecessary expense to her, in the service, as the commanding general is informed, over 3,000 men liable to service in the Confederate Army. These men should at once be transferred to the Confederate service. The State by holding them practically sets at naught the enrollment acts of Congress and (without intending such consequences) invites deserters and others anxious to evade their duty to their country to repair to these favored counties, and thus the number of persons who are screened from Confederate service are daily increased until now it would probably not fall short of 4,000 men. These men surely cannot all be needed for frontier p-fourth of the number, it would seem, would be ample, and if so the remaining three-fourths are an enormous and unnecessary drain upon the resources of your State. Besides, it is the duty of the duty of the Confederate Government, and not of the State of Texas, to protect the Indian frontier, and the commanding general directs me to say that after these conscripts have been enrolled and turned over to the Confederate States he will at once order the old frontier Regiment back, or if other troops are preferred, then a like number of other mounted troops will be ordered there to guard the frontier and in addition the Reserve Corps within the counties named will be at once organized and will act as a support to the mounted Regiment that may be doing duty on the frontier. By this means the dissatisfaction in other parts of the State at the unequal operations of the conscript law will be allayed. A large, force, more than sufficient for the purpose will be left for the protection of the frontier; an expenditure of over $3,000,000 annually will be saved to the State, and an effective force of not less than 3,000 men added to our army in the field. Under the circumstances the commanding general indulges the sanguine hope that Texas, prompted alike by prudent self-interest and patriotism, will accede to his wishes and thus rid herself of an enormous debt, and at the same time swell the depleted ranks of our army.

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

C. S. WEST,

Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.

87 R R-VOL XLVIII, PT I