being no civil law in force to operate as a check upon bad men, many of whom, in the army and out of it, had private wrongs to revenge, murders and other outrages were perpetrated by drunken men and it was found absolutely necessary to restrict the sale of liquors; but in order not to embarrass parties who has invested their capital in this business, in July orders were issued prohibiting its important but allowing the sale of stocks on hand.

Dealers were informed that after a sufficient time had elapsed for them to dispose of their stocks, sales would be prohibiting sales, except wines and beer, by all parties except druggists, regularly in that business. This was changed so as to include hotel keepers and practicing physicians, about the 1st of January. The orders that are now in force are as follows: Any person may import and sell beer and wines and no permits are necessary for the purpose. Druggists, hotel keepers, and physicians may import spirituous liquors in small quantities, and citizens for private use. The parties are under the necessity of obtaining special permits for each importation. On this order being issued, a large number of persons obtained and paid for licenses to keep hotels or as druggists, and because the sub-district commanders refused to recognize them as regular traders they claim that they are not treated fairly, as they have paid for a license to trade and are not permitted to do so. The only place in the district where it is said that the general business is injured by the prohibition is Sedalia. To remedy this, I at one time granted permits to sell to parties who were living in the Southwest District, but I soon became satisfied that under this change the dealers were flooding the country again in all parts of the district, and the permission was revoked.

I am advised by Colonel J. F. Philips, commanding the Second Sub-District, that many of the best and largest traders at Sedalia concur with him in the opinion that the traffic in the town is not injured by the prohibition referred to; that the loss in liquor traffic has been more than replaced by the increase of other branches of trade, resulting from the restoration of quiet and safety to the people in consequence of the breaking up of a large number of groggeries that were the resorts of bad men.

Mr. McKissock, general superintendent and engineer of the Pacific Railroad, and a number of the contractors, inform me that unless the prohibitions are continued it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to carry on the work of construction. All good citizens recognize the restrictions in the sale of this article as having had the best effect, and I am satisfied that the orders that have been issued give all the license that is necessary at this time. The business is a profitable one, and the parties who desire to deal are clamorous, and it would relieve you from their importunities to remove the restrictions, but if it is done it would endanger the good order that is now growing in the district.

You will pardon the length of this letter, but as this is another of the numerous complaints that have been made and that have once been settled, I have thought proper to give you its history and my views fully.

I am, very truly, your obedient servant,

E. B. BROWN,

Brigadier-General of Volunteers.