Frequent inspections of military prisons have been made from time to time, and all military prisoners have been released except such as were under sentence or awaiting trial for murder, arson, or other grave offenses. Clemency has been extended as liberally as was deemed compatible with public security. All persons imprisoned for offenses against the draft laws have been released, and all deserters from the volunteer service. Since the surrender of Lee's army the danger to the national safety from combinations and conspiracies to aid the rebellion or resists the laws in the States not declared to be insurgent has passed away. It is therefore recommended that the proclamation suspending the writ of habeas corpus in those States be revoked.

The Commissary-General of Prisoners reports that between the 1st of January and the 20th of October there were in our custody 98,802 prisoners of war. Of these 1,955 enlisted into the U. S. service, 63,442 were released after the cessation of hostilities, and 33,127 were delivered in exchange. Besides these, 174,223 prisoners surrendered in the different rebel armies and were released on parole, viz:

Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General

R. E. Lee........................................ 27.805

Army of Tennessee and others, commanded by

General J. E. Johnston........................... 31.243

General Jeff. Thompson's army of Missouri........ 7.978

Miscellaneous paroles, Department of Virginia.... 9.072

Paroled at Cumberland, Md., and other stations... 9.377

Paroled by General McCook in Alabama and Florida. 6.428

Army of the Department of Alabama, Lieutenant General

R. Taylor........................................ 42.293

Army of the Trans-Mississippi Department, General

E. K. Smith...................................... 17.686

Paroled in the Department of Washington.......... 3.390

Paroled in Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama,

Louisiana, and Texas............................. 13.922

Surrendered at Nashville and Chattanooga, Tenn... 5.029

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Total............................................ 174.223

JUDGE-ADVOCATE-GENERAL.

In the Bureau of Military Justice since March 2, 1865, there have been received, reviewed, and filed 16,591 records of general courts-martial and military commissions, and 6,123 special reports have been made as to the regularity of proceedings, the pardon of military offenders, the remission or commutation of sentences, and upon the numerous miscellaneous subjects and questions referred for the opinion of the Bureau, including also letters of instruction upon military law and practice to judge- advocates, reviewing officers, &c. By comparing these details with those presented in March last it will be perceived these details with those presented in March last it will be perceived that the business of this Bureau, especially as an advisory branch of the War Department, has not yet been diminished or sensibly affected by the altered condition of public affairs.

The Digest of Opinions of the Judge-Advocate-General, issued by the Bureau in January last, having come into extensive use throughout the Army, has proved of considerable advantage to the service in contributing to establish a uniformity of decision and action in the administration of military justice. As the present edition of the work has been very nearly exhausted, it is proposed to prepare during the coming winter an enlarged edition, containing in connection with those already published a selection of the official opinions communicated by the Judge-Advocate- General during the present year.

The chief of the Bureau expresses his satisfaction with the ability and efficiency with which the officers and clerks connected with it have performed their several duties, and, in view of the fact that the business of this branch of the public service will probably not be