A gentleman from South Carolina reports that the Georgians (militia and
reserves, I suppose) refused to enter South. Carolina in obedience to
Gen. Beauregard's orders, and that Gen. B. has not exceeding 10,000
reliable men. If this be so, Sherman may march whither he chooses! This
is very bad, if it be true, and more and more endangers the capital.

Surgeon-General S. P. Moore's estimates for the year's expenses of his
bureau are $46,000,000.

FEBRUARY 22D.--Bright and frosty. A fine February for fruit.

Yesterday the Senate postponed action on the Negro bill. What this means
I cannot conjecture, unless there are dispatches from abroad, with
assurances of recognition based upon stipulations of emancipation, which
cannot be carried into effect without the consent of the States, and a
majority of these seem in a fair way of falling into the hands of the
Federal generals.

The House passed the bill to abolish quartermasters and commissaries in
a modified form, excepting those collecting tax in kind; and this
morning those officers in this city under forty-five years of age
advertise the location of their places of business as collectors of tax
in kind, Capt. Wellford, a kinsman of Mr. Seddon, among the rest, the
very men the bill was intended to remove! Alas for Breckinridge and
independence!

The following dispatch has just been received from Gen. R. E. Lee:

"HEADQUARTERS, February 22d, 1865.

"From dispatches of Gen. Bragg of 21st, I conclude he has abandoned
Cape Fear River. He says he is embarrassed by prisoners. Enemy
refuses to receive or entertain propositions. I expect no change
will be made by Gen. Grant. It is his policy to delay. Have
directed prisoners to be sent to Richmond by rail or highway, as
may be most practicable; if wrong, correct it.

"R. E. LEE."

This looks like the speedy fall of Wilmington, but not of Richmond.

To-day is the anniversary of the birth of Washington, and of the
inauguration of Davis; but I hear of no holiday. Not much is doing,
however, in the departments; simply a waiting for calamities, which come
with stunning rapidity. The next news, I suppose, will be the evacuation
of Wilmington! Then Raleigh may tremble. Unless there is a speedy turn
in the tide of affairs, confusion will reign supreme and universally.

We have here now some 4000 or 5000 paroled prisoners returned by the
Federal authorities, without sufficient food for th