that black men must recruit the army--and it must be done at once; that
Gen. Lee had informed him he must abandon Richmond, if not soon
reinforced, and that negroes would answer. The _States_ must send them,
Congress having no authority. Virginia must lead, and send 20,000 to the
trenches in twenty days. Let the negroes volunteer, and be emancipated.
It was the only way to save the slaves--the women and children. He also
said all who had cotton, tobacco, corn, meat, etc. must _give_ them to
the government, not sell them. These remarks were not literally reported
in the _Dispatch_, but they were uttered. He read resolutions, adopted
in certain regiments, indorsing the President and his cabinet--of which
Mr. B. said, playfully, he was one.

Yesterday, in the House, upon the passage of a bill revising the
Commissary Department, Mr. Miles said the object was to remove Col.
Northrop. [His removal _has_ been determined.] Mr. Baldwin said the
department had been well conducted. Mr. Miles said in these times the
test of merit must be success. The bill passed.

Senator Hunter is at the department this morning, calling for the
statistics, prepared by my son Custis, of the fighting men in the
Southern States. Doubtless Mr. Hunter is averse to using the slaves.

The new Secretary of War is calling for reports of "means and resources"
from all the bureaus. This has been done by no other Secretary. The
government allowed Lee's army to suffer for months with the _itch_,
without knowing there were eight hundred barrels of soap within a few
hours' run of it.

From the ordnance report, I see we shall have plenty of powder--making
7000 pounds per day; and 55,000 rifles per annum, besides importations.
So, if there must be another carnival of blood, the defense can be
maintained at least another year, provided the _right men_ have the
management.

A violent opposition is likely to spring up against Mr. Benjamin's
suggestions. No doubt he is for a desperate stroke for independence,
being out of the pale of mercy; but his moral integrity is impugned by
the representatives from Louisiana, who believe he has taken bribes for
passports, etc., to the injury of the cause. He feels strong, however,
in the strength of the President, who still adheres to him.

There is much excitement among the slaveowners, caused by Mr. Benjamin's
speech. They must either fight themselves or let the slaves fight. Many
would prefer submission to Lincoln; but t