can know the personal character and history and the reliability of all citizens of the State, and who realize fully the danger to themselves as to all loyal citizen and to the State of allowing disloyal and treacherous men to take part in the State government-can be left to establish detailed regulations on this point, only subject to such general and prudent supervision as is necessary to insure the observance of the terms laid down by the General Government.

I shall await your decision on these subject, and hold myself in readiness to execute your instructions with all zeal and energy.

I am, sir, with great respect, your obedient servant,

JOHN POPE,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, Mo., April 19, 1865.

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT,

General-in-Chief, Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: I transmit herewith a letter* written to the President some days since, but withheld until this time in consequence of the awful calamity which has befallen the country. I do not deem it proper to without in longer, and I therefore submit it to your consideration, with the request that if you approve it you will forward it to its destination through the War Department. It is proper to state that the measures therein proposed are substantially those adopted in Missouri, and which have led to such admirable results already in the latter State. Already the whole of North Missouri has been turned over to the civil authorities of the State, troops and provost-marshals having all been withdrawn, except from two or three counties along the Missouri River. The Governor wrote me, under date of the 14th instant, that the counties of Saint Louis, Jefferson, Franklin, Gasconade, and Osage are now in condition to be surrendered entirely to the civil authorities, and I shall withdraw the military from all connection with civil affairs in these counties to-morrow. Everything is working favorably to the same end in the counties south of the Missouri, and I expect in a few months to leave Missouri entirely to the State authorities and remove all the military forces from the State. The fear of a raid by small bands from the Missouri forces under Sterling Price renders the people of the counties in question uneasy and a little unwilling still to dispense with the military and rely upon their own resources. If the summer passes off, as I hope it will, without such raids, the whole of the difficulties in Missouri, as far as the General Government is concerned, are ended. I believe that the same policy substantially pursued in Arkansas will assure the same results as soon the enemy is driven from the Red River. Even now the policy could be safely applied in that portion of the State north of the Arkansas River. I only wish the approval of the Government to what I propose, so that I can make the needful arrangements in time to begin the policy with the disappearance of Kirby Smith's army from the Red River, which I trust will early in the summer. Meantime, I need not assure you that any other plan or policy in these matters adopted by the Government I will execute with all the zeal and all the energy I can command. I would be glad if you will submit this letter to the Secretary of War, with the letter to the President (if you should approve the views

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* See next, ante.

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