has made more enity to the Government than any influence to be attributed to Jeff. Davis Governor Jackson or all the secessionists combined for three-fourths of those now in arms and hostile to the Government disavow belief in the dogma of the "right of secession. "

Your recent orders published in the Saint Louis daily papers concernign the harboring of runaway of fugitive slaves within the lines or within the camp and prohibition against the unauthorized seizure of persons and arbitrary appropriation and destruction of private property (evils or I may say barbarities practiced by the so-called "home guards" in this county to a serious extent) promise security and would do much to restore confidence among the people did they believe that they would be obeyed. If rigidly enforced they would go far to tranquilize the Sate and put a "damper" on successful recruiting for Price's army.

But your orders are not obeyed here, and the reply to me when I have cited your orders to prove that this war is neither an abolition war nor a sectional war to devastate the South is that "the orders will not be enforced by subordiantes," and "if General Halleck should enforce them the immediate advisers of the President in this State will have him displaced. " They invariably ask, "How are General Halleck's orders enforced here since published?" And I say with shame to that subordination which should exist that I can afford no satisfactory answer beyond the only presumption that you are not advised of such abuses.

It is known as a fact not disputed here by any onethat sundry runaway slaves, three or four at least, are now openly harbored in the camp of the home guards at the fair-grounds at this post and all efforts of their woners to recover them have proven fruitless. These same slaves often appear in U. S. unfirom and on one occasion at least had U. S. arms placed in their hands and acted the part of U. S. soldiers isnide of the intrenchments here. Surely the Government is not so hard off for soldiers that we have to arm negores to sustain it. If so I am for peace. When it comes to arming negroes to shoot down ands slay our rebellious Southern kindred I, a loyla Connecticut Yankee and proud of the name, will have no hand in it unless I turn rebel against such an infamous policy; but I am for the Union as our fathers fashioned it and all righteous efforts to preserve the same.

Several weeks ago a Mr. Marr, a citizen of Saline County, called upon Colonel Barnes, in command of this post, to recover a negro man belonging to him named Jim. Colonel Barnes (as I learned) upon the advice of Judge Georgde W. Miller, jduge of the circuit court (and a prominent Union man), gave Marr an order for his negro then in camp addressedto Major Eppstein,* of the home guards. Major Eppstein said the negro was not in his possession but Captain biehle had him. The order was then amended addressed to Captain Biehle. Captain Biehle told Mr. Marr to look for his negro but when Marr attempted to do so he was followed by home guards and assialed with clubs and stones until he was compelled to flee for personal safety. Upon a representation of these facts to Colonel Barnes (who has no sufficient force to enforce obedience on the part of home guards) he was advised by Colonel Barnes to go home and offer $100 reward for his negro. This Marr did not do and his negro is still in camp here harbored by home guards.

Hence it is that people here say that your orders in reference to fugitive slaves forbidding them in camp will not be obeyed by subordinates

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*See Kelton to Assistant Adjutant-General, Jefferson City, p. 772.

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