Sir; —In conducting military operations
w ithin States declared by the proclamation
of the President to be in a state of insur
rection, you will govern yourself, so far as
persons held to service tinder the laws of
such States are concerned, by the princi
ples of the letters addressed by me to
Maj.-Gen. Butler on the 30th of May and
the Bth of August, copies of which are
herewith furnished to you. As special di
rections, adapted to special circumstances,
cannot be given, much must be referred to
your own discretion, cs Commanding Gen
eral of the expedition. You, however,
will, jn general, avail yourself of the servi
ces %(*iwy persons, w.iether fugitives from
labor orfiut, who may otter them to the
National Government; you will employ
such persons in such services as they may
be fitted for, either as ordinary employees
or, if special circumstance? seem to require
it, in any other capacity, with such organ
ization, in squads, companies, or otherwise,
as you deem most beneficial to the Service.
This, however, not to mean a general arm
ing of them for military service. You
will assure all loyal masters that Congress
will provide just compensation to them for
the loss of the services of the persons so
employed. It is believed that the course
tLus indicated will best secure the suostan
tial rights of loyal masters, and the bene
fits to the United States of the services of
all disposed to support the Government,
while i f avoids all interference with the so
cial systems of local institutions of every
State, beyond that which insurrection
makes unavoidable, and which a restora
tion of peaceful relations to the Union, un
der the Constitution, will immediately re
move. Respectfully,
Simon Cameron, Secretary of War.
Brig.-Gen. SIIE.iMAN.
