published, in reference to the Missouri election, I cannot but think that the orders above referred to are without your personal knowledge, and I take the liberty of calling the subject to your attention and invoking your interposition to countermand them. I cannot but feel that to suffer, any military interference, in the matter of our election, or to prescribe any test oath to voters, when all the candidates in the State, with the exception perhaps of two of three in one Congressional district, are all loyal men, would be justly obnoxious to the public sentiment of the State.

There are other reasons why such proceeding would appear as an offensive discrimination against our State. Our citizens are aware that highly important elections have recently taken place in other States without, as it is believed, any such interference by the Government authorities; and if votes by hundreds of thousands have been allowed to be cast without objection, and with no limit upon the elective franchise other than the State laws prescribe, and where one at least of the candidates so supported was considered so hostile to the Government that for months past he has been banished from the country, certainly any such interference as between the loyal men now candidates in this State would under such comparison be more justly objectionable, and find nothing in the present condition of things here to justify it. I rely, therefore, upon Your Excellency for such an order as will prevent it.

I have the honor to be, with great respect, Your Excellency's obedient servant,

A. W. BRADFORD,

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, November 1, 1863.

Major-General SCHENCK,

Baltimore:

The President desires to see you, and that you issue no order in respect to the election until you see him.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

BALTIMORE, MD., November 1, 1863.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

I will go to see the President by next train 5 p. m. to-day. My order as to the election has already been issued.* If it is revoked, we lose this State. Can I see first on arrival at Washington this evening?

ROBT. C. SCHENCK,

Major-General.

CLEVELAND, OHIO, November 1, 1863.

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.:

SIR: I have the honor to make to you the following report of the operations and condition of the U. S. military telegraph for the fiscal

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* See Series I, Vol XXIX, Part II, p. 394.

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