MONTGOMERY, April 22, 1861.

Colonel W. J. HARDEE,

Fort Morgan, Mobile:

Yours of the 15th has been answered, and orders sent you with reference to approaches to Mobile. The Secretary of the Navy has turned over the cutter Lewis Cass (now Morgan) in command of Captain J. J. Morrison, who is ordered to report to you for duty.

L. P. WALKER.

[1.]

MONTGOMERY, April 22, 1861.

Captain J. J. MORRISON,

Of Cutter Lewis Cass (now Morgan), Mobile:

Your cutter has been turned over by the Secretary of the Navy to this Department, and you are ordered to report for duty to Colonel Hardee, in command at Fort Morgan.

L. P. WALKER,

Secretary of War.

[1.]

MOBILE, April 22, 1861.

L. P. WALKER:

By order of Secretary of the Navy I report the cutter Morgan ready for service until 1st June, and shall leave Mobile at 2 p. m. to report to Colonel Hardee.

J. J. MORRISON,

Captain.

[1.]

COLUMBUS, KY., April 22, 1861.

His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS,

President of the Confederate States of America:

DEAR SIR: We beg leave to submit to you the following communication, and we ask for it an attentive and earnest consideration, as it is, in our opinion, of vital importance to the cause of the South. We approach you, sir, as Kentuckians, and in the spirit of friendship; and here permit us to say that Kentucky is still true to the holy cause of Southern rights, and we trust our confederated brethren will not place an uncharitable construction upon her long silence and seeming indifference. She would long since have spoken, proclaiming the fact and announcing her determination to link her destiny with her sisters of the Confederate States, but her voice has been stifled by politicians, who, "clothed in a little brief authority," have basely used it to serve their own selfish ends; but the people cannot be always cheated, and the day is not far distant when the traitors who have tarnished Kentucky's fair escutcheon will be dealt with according to their merits. The secession of Kentucky is now a fixed fact, and the events of the last few days will hasten the denouement. The war has commenced, and we desire to play our part in it. We long to take our stand in arms by the side of our finds and brothers, to show to the world what Kentuckians can dare in defense of Southern rights and Southern honor. Our former allegiance is broken. We acknowledge no union bonfederate States. We recognize no President but Your Excellency.

The principal object, however, which we have in addressing Your Excellency upon the present occasion is to make some important and