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and were you required by the War Department to aid them with military force if such was required - you would have no difficulty.

Were the Agents of the Post Office Department required to take care of all mail matter and were you asked to facilitate them - you could do it.  The only difference is that this Bureau is nominally attached to the War Department for the purpose doubtless of getting military aid more immediately than with any other arrangement.

Now you say what then am I to do?  I answer, now that the war has ceased yours is a police force, for the preservation of order and for the punishment of Offences against the laws of the United States.  During the suspension of civil courts, you will have to maintain Provost Courts.  You can have the same military distribution, the same patrolling - the same courts and the same reports as before - only set apart an Officer or non-commissioned Officer for the civil duties I require in each sub-district who will of course be under your general military control but who will do the work and make the reports required by this Bureau to the Agent at your Head Quarters.  In your own particular case it matters