however, that the money has been actually paid by the towns; in some cases to the recruits; in others to their authorized agents. That the amounts so paid have been regularly assigned to the town, and in every case that the recruit has been examined by the provost-marshal, and the recruit signified his satisfaction as to the amount received by him. The towns have advanced this money in good faith, on the strength of the authority of the General Government to me that the amount so advanced would be promptly refunded to the town. They have also paid additional bounties from their own resources, and now after exerting themselves to the utmost,a nd incurring the burden of a large debt, to be met with an order that effectually precludes them from receiving back the money they have advanced, looks to them like bad faith on the part of the Government and is causing a clamor that I am unable to meet. Will it not answer if it is known that the amount paid by the towns was actually assigned by the recruit, paid either to him or his agent, and that he was satisfied with the amount received? An early reply is solicited at as early a day as possible. You have no idea of the trouble this is creating, and the copperheads are jubilant.

J. A. GILMORE,

Governor.

The above telegram has been submitted by His Excellency Governor Gilmore to me, and I respectfully represent that the difficulty referred to exists in many of the towns in the Second and Third District in the State,and I request definite instructions in relation to any modifications that may be made in the present plan for repayment. Copies of the order referred to by Governor Gilmore have been forwarded to the Provost-Marshal-General by mail.

E. W. HINKS,

Brigadier General and Superintendent Volunteer Recruiting Service.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Fort Monroe, January 13, 1864.

J. L. DOZIER, E. H. BEAZELEY, and others, the representatives of a sect calling themselves "Christians," in Norfolk and Portsmouth, who petition to be excused from taking the oath of allegiance and doing military duty:

GENTLEMEN: I have read your petition to General Barnes, setting forth your objections to swearing allegiance to any earthly government, in which you therein establish, to your own satisfaction, three points:

First. That government, although an evil,is a necessary one.

Second. That for a time it is permitted to exist by the wisdom of Jehovah.

Third. That the time of its existence at which a period is to be put to its existence is not yet come.

Therefore [you] ought to swear allegiance to the Government of the United States:

First. Because, although an evil, you admit it to be necessary.

Second. Although an evil, you admit that it is permitted by the wisdom of Jehovah,and it is not for His creatures to question the wisdom of His acts.