report to Major-General Banks or the general commanding the Department of the Gulf.

Second. The headquarters of your brigade will be established at Baton Rouge or such other point as General Banks may designate, and recruiting depots at other places, so as to fill up the brigade with colored troops as rapidly as possible. It is hoped that within thirty days form your arrival at New Orleans you will have your brigade filled up and ready for such duty as General Banks may direct.

Third. You will report to the Adjutant-General of the Army by every steamer the progress made in filling up your brigade.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

MADISON, WIS., March 25, 1863-12 m. (Received 5.45 p. m.)

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON:

The supreme court has just decided unanimously the draft of last fall to be valid, and has denied the writ of habeas corpus.

T. O. HOWE.

PRIVATE.] EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, March 28, 1863.

Honorable ANDREW JOHNSON:

MY DEAR SIR: I am told have at least thought of raising a negro military force. In my opinion the country now needs no specific thing so much as some man of your ability nd position to go to this work. When I speak of your position, I mean that of an eminent citizen of a slave State, and himself a slave-holder. The colored population is the great available. and yet unavailed of, force for restoring the Union. The bare sight of 50,000 armed and drilled black soldiers upon the banks of the Mississippi would end the rebellion at once. And who doubts that we can present that sight if we but take hold in earnest? If you have been thinking of it, please do not dismiss the thought.

Yours, very truly,

A. LINCOLN.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, March 26, 1863.

Honorable T. O. HOWE, U. S. Senate,

Madison, Wis.:

I thank you with exceeding great joy for your telegram of the 25th, just received. It will do much to correct the evil occasioned by the action of your supreme court last fall. Accounts from all parts of the country show that the national spirit is growing stronger and stronger.

EDWIN M. STANTON.