great portion of the arms and munitions of war now at the barracks to Cairo, with the avowed purpose of arming the troops to be there mustered into the service. One great point to be gained by the secessionist in capturing the arsenal is to get the arms for the State, which is now almost wholly without arms of any kind. I will be here ten days or perhaps two weeks, and any service I can render the Government will be cheerfully done.

Your sincere friend,

C. GIBSON.

SAINT LOUIS, April 24, 1861.

Honorable EDWARD BATES, Washington City:

DEAR SIR: The trying times in which we find ourselves demand that every lover of his country and constitutional liberty should speak out, and in this communication I desire to state my views and offer a few suggestions. I am in hopes that the administration will not desert us in the hour of peril, and allow the Union men in this city to be bound hand and foot by our secession governor and his minute-men. There is a desire on his part to get the State in antagonism to the Federal authorities by means, first, of an arming of our State, and then when all is ready we will be turned over to the South. I desire to call your attention to the latter clause of the inclosed slip, taken from the Evening News of yesterday. It shows the immense important of this city in the coming contest, and demonstrates to me that it should be in the possession of the Government represented by the old flag. For this purpose I would suggest that the Western volunteers be rendezvoused at their respective capitals, which are in connection with Saint Louis by rail, and at a given time they be sent to Alton, and moved to Saint Charles, in our own State. By this means we have communication cut off by the river and North Missouri Railroad. Then a portion of this command can be moved to the Maramec River at Glencoe, and the communications cut off by the Pacific Railroad; and then with the barracks, which are in our possession, we are masters of the position, with free intercourse with Saint Louis. Then we have a rallying-point for our Union men in this State. We of Saint Louis have borne the burden and heat of the day, and we now ask that a sufficient force for our protection be sent to our city. With this city in the possession of the United States forces the State cannot be armed, and we are saved to the Union. These are the sentiments of all the unconditional men that I have spoken to, and I offer them for what they are worth.

With respect, I remain, your friend,

CHARLES WIGGINS.

[From the Evening News, April 23, 1861.]

OUR LEGISLATURE.

Governor Jackson has ordered the legislature of Missouri to convene in extra session on next Thursday week, the 2nd of May, "for the purpose of enacting such laws and adopting such measures as may be deemed necessary and proper for the more perfect organization and equipment of the militia of this State, and to raise the money and such other means as may be required to place the State in a proper attitude of defense."

In assembling in this extra session, the legislature, we trust, will exhibit less of bigoted partisanism and a livelier regard for the true

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