in his way by U. S. officers has been referred by the House of Representatives of the State to the Committee on the Judiciary, and said committee intend at the earliest convenience to investigate these charges and find out, if possible, what grounds His Excellency the Governor had for making such statement as he did make.

The Committee on the Judiciary have informally notified the U. S. officers of the Provost-Marshal-General's Bureau that they will be summoned to appear before said committee, in turn, to testify upon and to explain these charges. I would respectfully request that the Provost-Marshal-General would direct me as to whether he considers it for the interest of the service that the acting assistant provost-marshal-general and the members of the boards of enrollment in Rhode Island should appear before the committee and give said committee such information as is in their power.

I would state in this connection that the officers of the Provost-Marshal-General's Bureau are extremely anxious to afford the committee all the assistance in their power, in the way of testimony, in arriving at an explanation of these, as appears to them, entirely groundless imputations of His Excellency the Governor.

I have the honor to inclose a printed report of His Excellency's message, taken from the Providence Journal of date of 11th instant. Respectfully requesting that I may obtain for myself and for the officers of the boards of enrollment permission to appear before the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and give such explanation of the charge and such testimony as best we may,

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

H. NEIDE,

Lieutenant Colonel Thirteenth Veteran Reserve Corps, A. A. P. M. G.

[Inclosure.]

GENERAL ASSEMBLY, JANUARY SESSION,

At Providence, Tuesday, January 10.

SENATE.

The senate met at 11 o"clock, the Governor in the chair.

Mr. Whitman, of Coventry, presented credentials of Honorable Benedict Lapham, senator-elect from the town of Warwick, in place of Jonathan Brayton, resigned. Whereupon the oath was administered to the new incumbent by the Secretary of State.

Prayer was then offered by the Rev. A. H. Clapp, of the Beneficent Congregational Church.

A communication was presented by the Governor, as follows:

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

Providence, January 9, 1865.

GENTLEMEN OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:

Although the constitution of our State does not impose upon the Executive the duty of communicating with the Legislature annually by message, I deem this a proper occasion for a brief reference to such of the events in our recent history as have called for new and important action by our legislative and executive departments, and suggest topics for your consideration in the future.

It is now nearly four years since a peaceful people was called upon to forsake its pursuits and acept the bloody issue upon which our national security and honor depends. They have responded nobly, yet the demand for men has exceeded anticipation of outrum and supply which could be obtained by the ordinary