secrecy regarding the same. The meeting has appointed J. B. Ford, James M. Haines, and D. C. Hill to act as their committee, and Joseph Brooks to act as assistant quartermaster-general. These gentlemen are in every respect well fitted for the positions, and are among our most prominent and substantial. They will act immediately and energetically upon any suggestion or instructions you may honor them with.

A. S. BURNETT,

Mayor of the City of New Alabany.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

Alabany, March 27, 1862.

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

SIR: I desire respectfully to call your attention to the fact that the commanding officers of certain regiments from this State persist in refusing to acknowledge the authority of the Governor of New York in regard to commissioning and filling vacancies, or to recognize in any way appointments made in accordance with laws of Congress and orders of the War Department. In a particular instance, as you will see from the copy of a letter from the assistant adjutant-general of the Sickles brigade, the commissions for an entire regiment were destroyed, and not allowed to reach the officers for whom they were intended. Such proceedings are an injury to the service and in defiance of legitimate authority.

The tenth section of the act of Congress approved July 22, and the third section of the act approved August 6, 1865, confer the power to appoint and commission in the volunteer service on the Governors of States. There seems to be no qualification of this power, except in case of the neglect or refusal of a Governor to exercise it, of which there is not an instance, in respect to any regiment from this State.

If them, through the efforts of designing officers, this authority is resisted, it is obvious that such officers will assume to exercise these functions themselves, and be enabled to elevate improper persons to important and responsible position. That such will be the result is evident from what has already been done in this direction, no less than from the want of any provision of law if any provision of law, by which the General Government can assume these duties. The impolicy and danger of perpetuating such a system, and the prompt and gratifying manner in which you have hitherto disposed of all irregular and improper proceedings, induces me to bring the subject to your notice and to ask for it your early consideration. The regiments which have refused to receive their early consideration. The regiments which have refuse to received their commissions are the Sixth-fifty, Sixth-seventh, and Seventy-fourth. In addition to these the Eightieth, Eighty-third, and Eighty-fourth (formerly militia) claim to be still militia regiments; claim militia instead of volunteer commissions, and elect their officers in accordance with the militia law of this State. Virtually these regiments ignore the power of the Governor to appoint, and make no recommendations to fill vacancies.

I am, with high regard, your obedient servant,

E. D. MORGAN.