Edwin M. Stanton to Richard Yates

WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY.

NO. 1.] TERMS AND CONDITIONS ON WHICH MESSAGES ARE RECEIVED BY THIS COMPANY FOR TRANSMISSION.

The public are notified that, in order to guard against mistakes in the transmission of messages, every message of importance ought to be repeated, by being sent back from the station at which it is to be received, to the station from which it is originally sent. Half the usual price for transmission will be charged for repeating the message; and while this Company will, as heretofore, use every precaution to ensure correctness, it will not be responsible for mistakes or delays in the transmission or delivery of repeated messages, beyond an amount exceeding five hundred times the amount paid for sending the message; nor will it be responsible for mistakes or delays in the transmission or delivery of unrepeated messages from whatever cause they may arise, nor for delays arising from interruptions in the working of its Telegraphs, nor for any mistake or omission of any other Company, over whose lines a message is to be sent to reach the place of destination. All messages will hereafter be received by this Company for transmission, subject to the above conditions.

A. Stager. Gen. Sup't, Cleveland, Ohio. 81 322 G. I. R. Elwood, Sec'y, Rochester, N.Y.

To Gov Yates 28 186

By Telegraph from Washn 225 PM 186

Maj Stearns is assigned to duty for the dept as gen'l recruiting agent for recruiting Colored Troops In the northern States & as such his acts are recognised The dept is anxious to raise Colored Troops wherever it can be done If you can raise one or more regts authority will be given you to do so under the general regulations of the Bureau having charge of that Branch of service

Edwin M Stanton

Secy War

71 G 4610S

Adjt. Gen

Please look up the regulations referred to and get up if you think best after seeing them, notices for two Regts

Colored Troops

Secretary of War

A.G.O. Aug 10/63