from a person not legally qualified to vote, or who shall impose or attempt to impose any rules or regulations for conducting such election different from those prescribed by law, or interfere in any manner with any officer of said election in the discharge of his duties, shall for any such offense be liable to indictment as for a misdemeanor in any court of the United States having jurisdiction to hear, try, and determine cases of misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof shall pay a fine of not exceeding five thousand dollars, and suffer imprisonment in the penitentiary not exceeding five years, at the discretion of the court trying the same; and any person convicted as aforesaid shall, moreover, be disqualified from holding any office of honor, profit, or trust under the Government of the United States.

Approved February 25, 1865.

* * * *

By order of the Secretary of War:

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HARRISBURG, February 28, 1865.

Honorable E. M. STANTON:

General Russell has telegraphed Provost-Marshal-General Fry asking extension of time for recruiting. Volunteering is now progressing so actively that I think it would be bad policy to arrest it. I trust you may see the propriety of authorizing an extension of time.

A. G. CURIN.

WAR DEPT., PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL'S OFFICE, March 1, 1865.

ADJUTANT-GENERAL OF PENNSYLVANIA,

Harrisburg, Pa.:

Time for raising new organizations hereby extended to March 15, but his authority does not postpone or interfere with draft. Mustering officers will continue to muster.

JAMES B. FRY,

Provost-Marshal-General.

WAR DEPT., PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL'S BUREAU, Washington, D. C., March 1, 1865.

Brigadier General E. W. HINKS,

Actg. Asst. Provost-Marshal-General, New York City:

Let the draft commence the 15th instant in all the directs in your division in which it has not already been ordered.

JAMES B. FRY,

Provost-Marshal-General.

(Operator will send similar dispatch to the following acting assistant provost-marshal-general; Lieutenant-Colonel Townsend, Albany; Major Haddock, Elmira.)

EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, D. C., March 2, 1865.

Honorable SCHYLER COLFAX,

Speaker House of Representatives:

SIR: I transmit herewith the report of the Secretary of War, which, with my permission, has been delayed until the present time to enable the lieutenant-general to furnish his report.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.