HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF CAIRO,
Cairo, January 23, 1862.

General E. A. PAINE,

Commanding U. S. Forces, Bird's Point, Mo.:

All prisoners taken by my order prior to the late expedition into Kentucky and since released should have all the private property taken from them returned. I am well aware of the difficulty a commanding officer has in enforcing the rule that no property taken is to be conveyed to the use of officers or soldiers, but when cases are known the offending parties should be summarily punished. Persons from Missouri have been in Cairo to-day looking for their stock and I believe without success. I believe your notions of the impropriety of this conduct agree with mine, and I hope you will use rigorous means to break up this dangerous and disgraceful policy.

U. S. GRANT,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS SAINT LOUIS DISTRICT,
Washington, January 23, 1862.

Brigade Surg. JOHN T. HODGeneral

SIR: The prisoners of war sick in hospital will be allowed to receive money and clothing from their friends, and the provost-marshal-general has authority from Major-General Halleck to discharge prisoners. A list of those so discharged you will please furnish to this office.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

SCHUYLER HAMILTON,

Brigadier General of Vols., U. S. Army, Commanding Saint Louis District.

Resolutions of the Michigan Legislature presented in the U. S. Senate by Senator Howard, January 23, 1862.

Resolved, That in the present condition of the country, with no prospect of an immediate termination of the war and many of the citizens of this State in captivity as prisoners of war, it is expedient that arrangements should be made for exchange of prisoners, and that our Representatives in Congress be requested and our Senators be instructed to use their proper influence to bring about such arrangements.

Resolved, That we hold it to be a duty we owe to our fellow-country-men engaged in the present deplorable conflict to do all in our power to mitigate the severities and barbarism of war, and therefore deem it not only expedient but a dictate of humanity that all persons captured as privateers upon the high seas should be held and deemed to be prisoners of war to be held and treated as such during the continuance of the existing contest.

Resolved, That our Senators in Congress be instructed and our Representatives be requested to urge the adoption of measures for the exchange of Colonel Orlando B. Willcox, who was wounded and taken prisoner while in command of a brigade and bravely leading the First Regiment of Michigan Infantry at the battle of Manassas, and who is now held in close confinement as a hostage in a Southern dungeon.