the pressure of an immediate military necessity. I would be glad to afford relief to the distressed and needy persons mentioned in your telegram, but have no power under existing laws. Ever since Congress met I have been urging the adoption of some legislative measure-either organizing a bureau or granting authority-but nothing has yet been accomplished.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

GENERAL ORDERS,
WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 308.
Washington, December 29, 1864.

PASSPORTS FOR PERSONS COMING FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES.

The following order of the President, received from the Department of State, is promulgated for the information and government of all officers in the military service whom it may concern:

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

Washington, December 17, 1864.

The President directs that, except immigrant passengers directly entering an American port by sea, henceforth no traveler shall be allowed to enter the United States from a foreign country without a passport. If a citizen, the passport must be from this Department, or from some U. S. minister or consul abroad; and if an alien, from the competent authority of his own country; the passport to be countersigned by a diplomatic agent or consul of the United States. This regulation is intended to apply especially to persons proposing to come to the United States from the neighboring British Provinces. Its observance will be strictly enforced by all officers, civil, military, and naval, in the service of the United States, and the State and municipal authorities are requested to aid in its execution. It is expected, however, that no immigrant passenger, coming in manner aforesaid, will be obstructed, or any other persons who may set out on their way hither before intelligence of this regulation could reasonably be expected to reach the country from which they may have started.

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

By order of the Secretary of War:

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

INDIANAPOLIS, IND., December 29, 1864-12 m.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

Your dispatch of the 14th said the Department would gladly accept as many regiments as I might raise under the general regulations for recruiting, to be placed in any corps to which they might be assigned. I had not asked for it, but relying upon it I issued an order authorizing the recruiting of eleven regiments. I did not desire the labor of raising these regiments, but acted upon the suggestion, believing I was subserving the wishes and interests of the Government. Having issued my order, my position is one of no little embarrassment, but if you desire your last dispatch to operate as a revocation of the former I hope you will telegraph me, that I may announce the fact and stop operations under my order.

O. P. MORTON,

Governor of Indiana.