Yesterday a committee was appointed to investigate the report that a certain member of Congress obtained passports for several absconding Jews, for a bribe.
January 9th.—Cold and clear. Gen. Longstreet has preferred charges against Major-Gen. McLaws and another general of his command, and also asks to be relieved, unless he has an independent command, as Gen. Johnston’s headquarters are too far off, etc. The Secretary is willing to relieve him, but the President intimates that a successor ought to be designated first.
Beef was held at $2.50 per pound in market to-day—and I got none; but I bought 25 pounds of rice at 40 cts., which, with the meal and potatoes, will keep us alive a month at least. The rich rogues and rascals, however, in the city, are living sumptuously, and spending Confederate States notes as if they supposed they would soon be valueless.
January 10th.—Letters from Governor Vance received to-day show that he has been making extensive arrangements to clothe and subsist North Carolina troops. His agents have purchased abroad some 40,000 blankets, as many shoes, bacon, etc., most of which is now at Bermuda and Nassau. He has also purchased an interest in several steamers; but, it appears, a recent regulation of the Confederate States Government forbids the import and export of goods except, almost exclusively, for the government itself. The governor desires to know if his State is to be put on the same footing with private speculators.
He also demands some thousands of bales of cotton, loaned the government—and which the government cannot now replace at Wilmington—and his complaints against the government are bitter. Is it his intention to assume an independent attitude, and call the North Carolina troops to the rescue? A few weeks will develop his intentions.
Mr. Hunter is in the Secretary’s room every Sunday morning. Is there some grand political egg to be hatched?
If the government had excluded private speculators from the ports at an early date, we might have had clothes and meat for the army in abundance—as well as other stores. But a great duty was neglected!
Sunday as it is, trains of government wagons are going incessantly past my door laden with ice—for the hospitals next summer, if we keep Richmond.
January 11th.—The snow has nearly vanished—the weather bright and pleasant, for midwinter; but the basin is still frozen over.
Gen. E. S. Jones has captured several hundred of the enemy in Southwest Virginia, and Moseby’s men are picking them up by scores in Northern Virginia.