meal. We should be prepared to make great sacrifices, if by so doing we can save the Union. The General Government offers largely increased bounties, of which the details will be announced by the adjutant-general of the State.

Given under my hand and privy seal at Trenton this 22nd day of October, A. D. 1863.

JOEL PARKER.

Attest:

S. M. DICKINSON,

Private Secretary.

ACTG. ASST. PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

WESTERN DIVISION, STATE OF NEW YORK,

Elmira, October 22, 1863.

Colonel JAMES B. FRY,

Provost-Marshal-General:

COLONEL: You will see that Governor Seymour is patriotic in his proclamation in favor of volunteering. We hope to have an organization complete in a few days. The Governor has met every proposition thus far fairly.

What do you say to the joint letter of Major Townsend and myself, addressed you from Albany, upon the Governor's suggestions about deserters? It would gratify the Governor much, and really I must say there is something demanded to relieve against the abuses of our recruiting officers in enlisting boys under eighteen without the consent of parents or guardians, when the law and regulations are explicit in prohibiting it. The law of Congress in most direct terms forbids any enlistment under eighteen. The regulations evidently overlook the law of Congress which forbids the enlistment of minors under eighteen without consent, &c. But recruiting officers, in their eagerness for recruits, disregard both law and regulations and now the parents have no remedy since the courts are closed against them.

These enlistments, by the dissatisfaction and prejudice they create, damage the recruiting service more a thousand times than any benefit to the Army by getting a few boys into the service.

Your obedient servant,

A. S. GIVEN.

P. S.-I ought to say that it is not always the fault of the recruiting officers that boys are enlisted. The boys themselves misstate their age for the sake of enlisting, and the parent has no remedy. Any tribunal that could give speedy relief in these cases would remove most of the prejudice against the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus.

I am trying to prepare some suggestions in compliance with your request relative to amending the enrolling act.

A. S. D.

[Inclosure.]

A PROCLAMATION BY HORATIO SEYMOUR, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

EXECUTIVE CHAMBER,

Albany, October 20, 1863.

The President of the United States has called upon me, as Governor of the State of New York, to furnish its quota of 300,000 men to