erior numbers,
and may be gathering up supplies.

Governor Vance writes distressfully concerning the scarcity of
provisions in certain counties of North Carolina, and the rudeness of
impressing agents.

Lieut.-Gen. Hardee telegraphs from Dalton that 5000 cavalry, besides two
brigades of Buckner's command, are with Longstreet, and that other
troops ought to be sent him (H.) to compensate for these detachments.

Mr. L. S. White obtained another passport yesterday to go to Maryland,
on the recommendation of Col. Gorgas, Chief of Ordnance.

There was a quorum in Congress to-day; but the message was not sent in.

A five-dollar gold piece sold at auction on Saturday for $140--$28 in
Confederate notes for one of gold.

DECEMBER 8TH.--The President's message was sent to Congress to-day. I
was not present, but my son Custis, who heard it read, says the
President dwells largely on the conduct of foreign powers. To diminish
the currency, he recommends compulsory funding and large taxation, and
some process of diminishing the volume of Treasury notes. In other
words, a _suspension_ of such clauses of the Constitution as stand in
the way of a successful prosecution of the war. He suggests the repeal
of the Substitute law, and a modification of the Exemption act, etc.
To-morrow I shall read it myself.

DECEMBER 9TH.--The President's message is not regarded with much favor
by the croakers. The long complaint against foreign powers for not
recognizing us is thought in bad taste, since all the points nearly had
been made in a previous message. They say it is like abusing a society
for not admitting one within its circle as well as another. The
President specifies no plan to cure the redundancy of the currency. He
is opposed to increasing the pay of the soldiers, and absolutely
reproaches the soldiers of the left wing of Bragg's army with not
performing their whole duty in the late battle.

Mr. Foote denounced the President to-day. He said he had striven to keep
silent, but could not restrain himself while his State was bleeding--our
disasters being all attributable by him to the President, who retained
incompetent or unworthy men in command, etc.

DECEMBER 10TH.--No news from any of the armies, except that Longstreet
has reached Bristol, Va.

Yesterday, in Congress, Mr. Foote denounced the President as the author
of all the calamities; and he arraigned Col. Northrop, the
Commissary-General, as a monster, incompetent, etc.--a