the laws of Congress require, while it is made agreeable to the Governor, and has the sanction of public opinion, as expressed through the newspapers and indicated by advices, private and official.

The concessions of importance were all on the part of the Governor, and, trammeled as he was by the State law, were prompted by the loftiest patriotism. It is but simple justice to Governor Murrah to accord him this tribute. What he asked in turn of me, as representing the Confederate authorities, was a reasonable interpretation of the laws of Congress, so that the people here might have the same time to organize, in conformity with those laws, as was extended by the laws to those on the east side of the Mississippi, and that the conscript element, which had been by yourself permitted to remain with him six months, should remain undisturbed for thirty days, and that certain details which he had made for the purpose of carrying out State cotton, and for other industrial purposes, should be respected by the Confederate authorities. I unhesitatingly acceded to these demands, not only through that courtesy which is due to the chief magistrate of a great State, but because I thought the demands were reasonable and just in themselves; and thus a conflict, which had at one time threatened disaster not only to the Trans-Mississippi Department, but to the whole Confederacy, has been avoided, and a return to the manner of filling up the armies and of the organization prescribed by the laws of Congress been secured.

The late conscript law gives the right to all between the ages of seventeen and eighteen and forty-five and fifty to organize themselves into regiments, and gives them thirty days for this purpose, I think, from the passage of the act. But the Governor asked the same time for the people of Texas, and I extended it as an act of justice. On the 11th of May, eighteen days from now, this time will have expired. He requested also that all conscripts between eighteen and forty-five who were in the State troops and had been yielded for six months to him by you might remain unmolested within this period of thirty days. This I yielded also. He sent his adjutant-general down to Houston with these requests, and with authority to issue orders from him without delay, and in accordance with such orders as might be issued by me after this perfect understanding between us. This was the hearty co-operation which I had so long desired between the State and Confederate authorities, and was a substantial compliance with the laws of Congress. You gave your assent by telegraph to the general proposition carried out by me, but requested further information. Finding it impossible to give you information in detail by telegraph or otherwise without great delay, every moment being precious, and believing that it would be most gratifying to you that I had made such terms as would secure the execution of the laws of Congress and acquire the good will and cordial support of the civil authorities, I immediately published my order at the same time that the order of the Governor, through his adjutant-general sent to me for the purpose, was published.

At once the State became acquiescent, and at this moment the organizations are going on with great rapidity in accordance with the last law of Congress. I learn by telegraph from General Greer that my order, in his opinion, conflicts with the law and differs materially from the order which he is directed by you to publish on the same subject. He does not inform me how far or in what