the power of the Government in this proceeding, but we desire most respectfully to be informed why the rights secured, as we understand, by military law as to the time of trial are denied to General Stone. We present no complaint, but we would like the assurance that we have no cause of complaint.

J. A. McDOUGALL.

M. S. LATHAM.

A. A. SARGENT.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA,
Fort Monroe, Va., March 24, 1862.

Major General B. HUGER, Commanding at Norfolk, Va.

GENERAL: On the 5th instant I requested to know why the prisoners of war promised to be sent to me February 22, 1862, were not sent down. I have had no response thereto.

On the 11th I requested to know if any more prisoners of war were to be exchanged as heretofore. Your reply to this request was that you were divested of the authority for exchanging prisoners on the appointment of Brigadier-General Cobb to arrange with myself the exchange of prisoners of war, &c. I would request to know at your earliest convenience whether you are still divested of the authority to make exchanges. I make the request because I have a number of officers to propose for exchange.

Herewith I send several packages of letters.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN E. WOOL,

Major-General.

CONFIDENTIAL.] WASHINGTON, D. C., March 24, 1862.

J. A. KENNEDY, Esq., Director of Police, New York:

Please send me the names of the editors and of the publishers of the Journal of Commerce. Ascertain who is the writer of the paragraph that appeared in that sheet two days ago respecting the Vanderbilt steamers. Send to me five copies of the paper containing that article. Observe and report the papers that publish accounts of the military operations now progressing on the Potomac.

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Washington, March 25, 1862.

His Excellency the PRESIDENT.

MY DEAR SIR: Twenty-five hundred rebel prisoners captured at Roanoke discharged on parole; 500 out of the 1,300 captured in Missouri by Jeff. C. Davis released similarly, and now the Fort Donelson prisoners also. Meanwhile our imprisoned soldiers languish and die after eight months' confinement in rebel prisons and the sad hearts of sorrowing wives are broken as their husbands return not to them.

I have sixty constituents of the Twentieth Indiana Regiment captured at Hatteras (at the retreat from Chicomicomico and on the steamer Fanny) in prison at Columbia, S. C., from whom their families have not even been able to hear a word for over a month, much less to welcome