Will you permit any of them who may be drafted to be detained for this duty, or excuse at least during the trying emergency upon us?

Reply.

WM. A. BUCKINGHAM,

Governor.

OFFICE ASST. PROV. March GENERAL FOR ILLINOIS,

Springfield, July 16, 1863.

Colonel JAMES B. FRY,

Provost-Marshal-General, Washington, D. C.:

COLONEL: In view of the approaching draft in Illinois I deem it my duty to apprise you as fully as I can, and without delay, of the present condition of affairs in this State, the dangers to be apprehended, and the precautionary measures and safeguards that seem called for by the situation.

Although seditious and turbulent element are to be found more or less in all the district of the State, they are more open and menacing in the Fifth, Sixth, Ninth, Eleventh, and Thirteenth at the present time than in any others. I will therefore lay before you a few facts in the case of each of these district to enable you to estimate the true state of affairs and to judge of the soundness of the conclusions to which I have arrived. I will speak of matters in the aforementioned district in the order of time rather than of number.

District Numbers 9, Captain B. F. Westle, provost-marshal. -One the 30th of June I received a brief note from Captain Westlake, inclosing the within letters from Messurs. McComb and Elliot, relation to the disturbance inthe country of Fulton. The letters are marked respectively A and B.

July 1 I replied, directing Captain Westlake to send a special agent to investigate and report the facts in detail, a copy of which letters is inclosed herewith, marked C.

July 11 I received a letter from Captain Westlake, transmitting two reports from R. R. Randall, special agent appointed as directed by me. (See inclosure marked D and E.)

July 13 I requested Captain Westlake to give me his own view of the state of affairs in Fulton County, and what steps, if any, were necessary, in his judgement, to be taken in the premises.

July 15 I received his answer. (See inclosure marked F.)

July 16 I received to the above, giving such instructions, of a prudential nature, as the circumstances seemed to justify and demand (See inclosure marked G.)

July 16 I received the enclosures marked H and I from Captain Westlake, relieved to the probable receipt from Enoch Woods, of Chicago, of large lot of arms, and their distribution to disloyal persons, through one Driskill, of Tennessee, in Fulton Country, Ill.

District Numbers 13, Captain Isaac N. Phillips, provost- marshal.-For a statement of affairs in this district up to the 13th instant I would respectfully refer you to my letter of July 4 and 13. As stated in said communications the hostile demonstrations thus far are mainly confined to Williamson Country, in which there is now a force of 240 cavalry an 40 infantry, the latter for guard duty.

July 14 I sent Captain Phillips a letter of instructions, a copy of which is inclosed herewith, marked J.

District Numbers 11, Captain Mortimore O"Kean, provost-marshal.- July 14 I received a communication from Captain O"Kean relative to dis