painful excitement which is stirring the hearts of all men must have expression in action. Clear the road to the capital and keep it cleared. That is the first desire. We might form an efficient and temporary navy out of our commercial marine. All along the New England coast are thousands of vessels and men fit for this service by mixing with them the instructed naval officers of the country. Graduate the first and second classes at once at West Point (retaining Southern cadets) and scatter them among the communicates from which they have been taken, to drill and aid the people. You cannot overrate the advantages of tand our country's, let us take hold of the military spirit of our people and direct it aright now, when we can. We can have a long and exhausting war, or we can conquer a peace before the end of another winter if we will only organize and use our power promptly. These are very crude thoughts, but they express the wishes, and I may add the expectations, of our people.

Truly, yours,

J. H. MARTINDALE.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

Boston, Mass., April 25, 1861.

The Honorable SECRETARY OF WAR:

SIR: I take pleasure in introducing to your attention and consideration George L. Andrews, esq., and Wilder Dwight, esq., gentleman of high professional and social standing in this community, who desire to communicate with you concerning the regiment proposed to be raised here by Major Gordon, about which I wrote to you under date of the 17th instant, a letter to which I have received no reply. I beg leave to refer to that letter in full explanation of my views upon this subject, and to say that so far as I am acquainted with the purposes of the gentleman interested for the formation of this regiment (and they have been very fully explained to me) they meet my unqualified concurrence, and I hope that they may receive such assistance and co-operation on the part of the United States as can with propriety be afforded. Major Gordon, who will be called to the command of the regiment, is a gentleman of careful military education and large executive ability, and it will be officered by such gentleman as Mr. Andrews and Mr. Dwinght, gentleman of the best standing in Massachusetts.

In the hope that you may be able to give to give attention in some manner to the proposals of these gentleman, I subscribe myself, your obedient servant,

JOHN A. ANDREW.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

Boston, Mass., April 25, 1861.

The Honorable SECRETARY OF WAR:

SIR: My letter introducing Messrs. Dwight and Andrews will be shown to you.*

I desire, in addition, to say that we can send to you 4,000 more troops from Massachusetts within a very short time after the receipt of a requisition for them.

Do you wish us to send men as we may be able to get them ready, without awaiting requisitions? And can we send by sea up the Potomac? Cannot the river be kept open and safe to Washington? What

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* Next, ante.

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