the attorneys for the Commonwealth in the several counties in which Pope's army may have been to inaugurate the proper proceedings and have the parties who have been guilty of stealing or willfully destroying private property indicted. In my intercourse with persons from the section of the State referred to I have no doubt that sufficient evidence to convict them can be procured against many of Pope's officers. It could not be supposed that I could have a personal knowledge of these violations of the State laws, but I had sufficient reason for the belief that be means of grand juries of the counties I could be able to designate the guilty persons.

In the case of Doctor Rucker I can designate the offenses for which he will be tried if the Government will turn him over to the State authorities. I transmit for your inspection copies of three warrants: * The first for treason, the second for murder and the third for horse stealing. If turned over to me he will be sent to Alleghany for trial on these charges. This was the course I designed to adopt in all cases.

Respectfully,

JOHN LETCHER.

[First indorsement.]

Respectfully submitted to the President. General Loring was ordered to inquire and report whether Doctor Rucker at the time of his capture was in the military service of the United States, but no report has yet been received. In the absence of information on the subject and of any claim on the part of the enemy that he was in their service the presumption would be that his original status continues and that he is a civilian. Such being the case the claim of the Governor seems to have some foundation.

G. W. RANDOLPH,

Secretary of War.

[Second indorsement.]

On the warrants for murder and horse stealing, being criminal offenses against the law and peace of the country where he was residing, he may be delivered to the civil authorities.

J. D.

[Third indorsement.

OCTOBER 2.

Inform General Letcher that Doctor Rucker will be delivered for trial on the warrants for murder and horse stealing and that General Winder has been instructed to deliver him to whoever the Governor shall appoint to receive him.

The delivery for trial on the charges above mentioned renders it unnecessary to discuss the policy of our initiating trials for treason or to determine whether the Government would have delivered him up for trial on the charge of treason alone.

G. W. RANDOLPH.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Richmond, Va., September 12, 1862.

Honorable G. W. RANDOLPH, War Office, Richmond, Va.

SIR: Six weeks ago, more or less, Colonel John H. Morgan, the famous partisan chief, attacked and captured a Pennsylvania battalion near Tompkinsville, Ky. Amongst the prisoners taken was a Major Jordan, commanding said battalion. This prisoner was sent to Madison, Ga.,

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*Omitted.

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