WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, January 23, 1865.

Honorable SCHUYLER COLFAX,

Speaker of the House of Representatives:

SIR: In reply to the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 20th instant, in relation to certain amounts paid for commutation, I have the honor to submit herewith a report of the Provost-Marshal-General, and to state that, so far as I am advised or believe, no amounts have been paid for commutation by persons illegally drafted. The report of the Provost-Marshal- General contains all the information upon the subject in the possession of this Department.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

[Inclosure.]

WAR DEPT., PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, D. C., January 21, 1865.

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.:

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a resolution of the House of Representatives, dated January 20, 1865, calling upon the Secretary of War to state "why the amounts paid for commutation by persons who were declared to have been illegally drafted on a supplementary draft made after the 4th of July last, on a call made prior to that date, have not been refunded to them."

I know of no men who have been illegally drafted.

Commutation money has been refunded to men who, after having been drafted and paid commutation, were found to be entitled to exemption, and who established just claims for refunding the commutation money which they had paid. The examination and payment of this calls of claims is still going on as rapidly as more important business will permit, and they will probably all be disposed of soon.

I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES B. FRY,

Provost-Marshal-General.

GENERAL HEADQUARTERS, STATE OF ILLINOIS,

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Springfield, January 23, 1865.

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War, Washington City, D. C.:

SIR: I desire to call the attention of the War Department and the Provost-Marshal-General to Circular Numbers 1, January 2, 1865, issued by the Provost-Marshal-General of the United States, and to Circular Numbers 3, January 7, 1864, and also to circular from War Department dated August 1, 1864, the latter being to opinions of Honorable William Whiting, Solicitor of the War Department.

By reference to the report of the late adjutant-general of Illinois, Honorable Allen C. Fuller, of date of September 1, 1864, I find that Illinois had, on the 1st of July, 1864, 35,875 three-years" men to answer against its quota of 52,057 one-year's men. These three-years" men were, as I understand, counted as men for one year, without reference to the period of service, and the State, therefore, only received credit for