A few days ago, Lieut. Buchanan was killed on a United States gun-boat by our sharpshooters. He was the son of Admiral Buchanan, in the Confederate service, now at Mobile. Thus we are reminded of the wars of the roses—father against son, and brother against brother. God speed the growth of the Peace Party, North and South; but we must have independence.

Mr. Hunter was in our office to-day, getting the release of a son of the Hon. Jackson Morton, who escaped from Washington, where he had resided, and was arrested here as a conscript. The Assistant Secretary of War ruled him entitled to exemption, although yesterday others, in the same predicament, were ruled into the service.

CHAPTER XXIII.

Proposed fixture of prices.—Depreciation in the North.—Gen. Hooker in command of the U. S. forces.—Lee thinks Charleston will be attacked.—Congress does nothing.—Some fears for Vicksburg.—Pemberton commands.—Wise dashes into Williamsburg.—Rats take food from my daughter’s hand.—Lee wants the meat sent from Georgia to Virginia, where the fighting will be.—Gen. Winder uneasy about my Diary.—Gen. Johnston asks to be relieved in the West.

February 1st.—The Virginia Legislature, now in session, has a bill under discussion for the suppression of extortion. One of the members, Mr. Anderson, read the following table of the prices of

agricultural produce.
Before the war. Now.
White wheat, per bushel $1 50 White wheat, per bushel $4 50
Flour, per barrel 7 50 Flour, per barrel 22 00
Corn, per bushel 70 Corn, per bushel 3 50
Hay, per hundred 1 00 Hay, per hundred 3 50
Hides, per pound 7 Hides, per pound 40
Beef, per pound 8 Beef, per pound 50
Bacon, per pound 13 Bacon, per pound 60
Lard, per pound 15 Lard, per pound 1 00
Butter, per pound 30 Butter, per pound 1 50
Irish potatoes 1 00 Irish potatoes 5 00
Sweet potatoes 1 00 Sweet potatoes 6 00
Apple brandy 1 00 Apple brandy 15 00
Wool, per pound 30 Wool, per pound 2 00
manufactures.
Bar iron, per pound 4 Bar iron, per pound 20
Nails, per pound 4 Nails, per pound 60
Leather, sole, per pound 25 Leather, sole, per pound 2 50
" upper, per pound 33 " upper, per pound 3 50
cotton goods.
Osnaburgs, per yard 10 Osnaburgs, per yard 75
Brown cotton, per yard 10 Brown cotton, per yard 75
Sheeting, per yard 15 Sheeting, per yard 1 25
woolen goods.
Coarse jeanes 45 Coarse jeanes 4 00
Crenshaw’s gray 2 00 Crenshaw’s gray 28 00
miscellaneous.
Coarse shoes $1 50 Coarse shoes $15 00
High-quartered shoes 3 50 High-quartered shoes 25 00
Boots 7 50 Boots 60 00
Wool hats, per dozen 7 00 Wool hats, per dozen 50 00
stocks.
Dividends on stocks in cotton companies, worth in May, 1861, $25 to $50 per share, now from $112 to $140.

It is doubtful whether the bill will pass, as most of the members are agriculturists.

It is said and believed that several citizens from Illinois and Indiana, now in this city, have been sent hither by influential parties, to consult our government on the best means of terminating the war; or, that failing, to propose some mode of adjustment between the Northwestern States and the Confederacy, and new combination against the Yankee States and the Federal administration.