Fifth.  The Secretary of War shall assign to the said commissioners such aid and assistance as may be required for the performance of their duties, and make such just and reasonable allowances and compensation for the said commissioners and for the persons employed by them as he may deem proper.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

Washington, December 17, 1864.

The President directs that, except immigrant passengers directly entering an American port by sea, henceforth no traveler shall be allowed to enter the United States from a foreign country without a passport.  If a citizen, the passport must be from this Department or from some United States minister or consul abroad; and if an alien, from the competent authority of his own country, the passport to be countersigned by a diplomatic agent or consul of the United States.  This regulation is intended to apply especially to persons proposing to come to the United States from the neighboring British Provinces.  Its observance will be strictly enforced by all officers, civil, military, and naval, in the service of the United States, and the State and municipal authorities are requested to aid in its execution.  It is expected, however, that no immigrant passenger coming in manner aforesaid will be obstructed, or any other persons who may set out on their way hither before intelligence of this regulation could reasonably be expected to reach the country from which they may have started.

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

WASHINGTON, D.C., December 31, 1864.

By the authority conferred upon the President of the United States by the second section of the act of Congress approved July 2, 1864, entitled “An act to amend an act to aid in the construction of a railroad and telegraph line from the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean,” etc., I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, do hereby designate the Merchants’ National Bank, Boston; the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad Company’s office, Chicago; the First National Bank at Philadelphia; the First National Bank at Baltimore; the First National Bank at Cincinnati, and the Third National Bank at St. Louis, in addition to the general office of the Union Pacific Railroad Company in the city of New York, as the places at which the said Union Pacific Railroad Company shall cause books to be kept open to receive subscriptions to the capital stock of said company.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

EXECUTIVE MANSION,

Washington City, January 20, 1865.

Ordered, That no clearances for the exportation of hay from the United States be granted until further orders, unless the same shall have been placed on shipboard before the publication hereof.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

EXECUTIVE MANSION,