PERSONAL.] HEADQUARTERS NORTHERN DEPARTMENT, Cincinnati, Ohio, December 19, 1864.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

I regret extremely to learn, by letter from George Wilkes of the 13th instant, that you feel "excessively hurt and nettled" at some part of the contents of a letter I had the honor to address you on the 23th ultimo. Of this letter it is alleged, that "after assuming against the Department purpose it never entertained, you impute unworthy motives, and again indicate an intention of throwing up your commission." Fearing that the letter might admit of this interpretation, I have turned to it, and find that it is susceptible of a construction I never intended ot have given. I was under the impression that the order making the change of these headquarters to Columbus had been determined on during your illness and without your knowledge, and regarded it as the work of my old adversary, Major-General Halleck. This I meant clearly to have stated, but inadvertently omitted the name of the head of the Cavalry Bureau. It was with this feeling that the whole letter was written, and I desired to make it so prominent as to require no explanation. On reprisal, I am exceedingly sorry to find that it is not, and I hasten to withdraw any part of the letter tending, in your judgment, to give offense to you. After the letter I have received from george Wilkes, communicating your intentions with regard to myself, as well as the many personal assurances I have received of your friendly disposition, I feel that to be insensible of them would evince a want of appreciation, if not of gratitude, toward you. I can only withdraw the offensive part of my letter, and incerely regret that I should have allowed any words to drop from my pen admitting of a construction directly or indirectly unfavorable to yourself. The letter was written before I received your telegram informing me that the change in question had not been contemplated by the Department. In justice to myself, I may state further, that in addition to the evidences I communicated to you that the headquarters of the department were to be transferred to Columbus, I was informed that Judge Swayne stated on his return from Washington that the order was out making the transfer, and that he had seen it. I may also add that I can find nothing in my letter of the 23rd ultimo that will sustain the opinion that I again indicate the intention of throwing up my commission.

With great respect, I have the honor to be, your friend and servant,

JOSEPH HOOKER,

Major-General, Commanding.

PRIVATE.] HEADQUARTERS NORTHERN DEPARTMENT, Cincinnati, Ohio, December 19, 1864.

Honorable Z. CHANDLER,

U. S. Senate:

I received your note of the 15th instant, and entirely coincide with its views, as well as those you have expressed int eh Senate chamber. I felt it to be my duty to issue the order in question on receiving the news of the action of the provincial authorities of Canada in the case of the Saint Albans raiders, and was only restrained by he conscious weakness of our Government in its foreign policy. To have issued such weakness of our Government in its foreign policy. To have issued such an order as in my opinion the necessities of the case demanded, I would not have been sustained at headquarters, and the order would have