gton City, January 27, 1868_.

General U.S. GRANT,

_Commanding Army United States_.

GENERAL: The Secretary of the Treasury has requested this Department
to afford A.F. Randall, special agent of the Treasury Department, such
military aid as may be necessary to secure and forward for deposit
from Brownsville, Tex., to New Orleans public moneys in possession of
custom-house officers at Brownsville, and which are deemed insecure
at that place.

You will please give such directions as you may deem proper to the
officer commanding at Brownsville to carry into effect the request of
the Treasury Department, the instructions to be sent by telegraph to
Galveston, to the care of A.F. Randall, special agent, who is at
Galveston waiting telegraphic orders, there being no telegraphic
communication with Brownsville, and the necessity for military
protection to the public moneys represented as urgent.

Please favor me with a copy of such instructions as you may give, in
order that they may be communicated to the Secretary of the Treasury.

Yours, truly,

EDWIN M. STANTON,

_Secretary of War_.

POST-OFFICE DEPARTMENT, CONTRACT OFFICE,

_Washington, February 3, 1868_.

The Honorable the SECRETARY OF WAR.

SIR: It has been represented to this Department that in October last a
military commission was appointed to settle upon some general plan of
defense for the Texas frontiers, and that the said commission has made
a report recommending a line of posts from the Rio Grande to the Red
River.

An application is now pending in this Department for a change in the
course of the San Antonio and El Paso mail, so as to send it by way
of Forts Mason, Griffin, and Stockton instead of Camps Hudson and
Lancaster. This application requires immediate decision, but before
final action can be had thereon it is desired to have some official
information as to the report of the commission above referred to.

Accordingly, I have the honor to request that you will cause this
Department to be furnished as early as possible with the information
desired in the premises, and also with a copy of the report, if any has
been made by the commission.

Very respectfully, etc.,

GEO. W. McCLELLAN,

_Second Assistant Postmaster-General_.

FEBRUARY 3, 1868.

Referred to the General of the Army for report.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

_Secretary of War_.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, _January 29, 1868_.

The Honorable SECRETARY OF WAR.

SIR: I