You will safety keep them on the route and will deliver the first four named to the commanding officer at Fort Lafayette, New York Harbor, and the remainder (twenty-six) to the commanding officer at Fort Columbus, New York Harbor. Receipts for the prisoners delivered at each fort will be taken by you from the commanding officer thereof. This duty performed you will return to your regiment with your command without delay.

By order of Major-General Dix:

D. T. VAN BUREN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, September 12, 1861.

E. L. O. ADAMS, Esq., Portland, Me.

SIR: You are appointed a confidential agent of this Department at Portland. The chief object of the appointment is to prevent persons in the service of the insurgents or other disloyal persons from proeeding abroad or returning thence by the way of Portland. If any such should within your own knowledge be found there or should this Department by letter or by telegram apprise you of their being there you will cause them to be arrested and forthwith sent to Fort Lafayette. N. Y. Passports are herewith sent to you, which all persons are required to be provided with who embark in the steamers for Europe. As loyal persons may reach Portland for that purpose without a knowledge of the requirement you are herewith furnished with passports in blank with which you may provide them pursuant to the following regulations. In addition to the isntructions contained in the two circulars herewith* your attention is called to following points:

Passports can only be issued to citizens of the United States, the proper evidence necessary to obtain which will be found described in Circular Numbers 1. The mere declaration of intention to become a citizen is not evidence of citizenship, and therefore the preliminary papers issued by the courst which are frequently produced as such evidence will not entire persons to passports. In the case of persons applying for passports who are natives of or have lived any time in either of the States at present in insurrction against the Government you will be very particular in your inquiries as to their loyality and insist upon their taking the oath of allegiance which is required in all cases. You will be required to keep an index of the passports issued by you containing the number, date and name of the party to whom issued, and you will also keep the letters and other documents accompanying all applications, numbering and dating them to correspond with the index, and in applicant may be a naturalized citizen it will be necessary to note on the application the place where and the court in which his certificate of naturalization may have been obtained together with the date of the same. These documents are to be preserved for future reference. You will be pleased to transmit to the Department mouthly returns of the passports issued, embracing number, name and date. Circular Numbers 2. will furnish you with full information in regard to the recept regulations on the subject of passports and a careful observance of both circulars will be expected. Your compensation will be at the rate of $60 per month. Ten blank passports are sent herewith and you will be supplied hereafter as you desire.

I am, your obedient servant,

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

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* Omitted.

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