cross? Nothing more is heard of Gen. Corcoran, with his Irish
bogtrotters, on the Peninsula.

The government has realized 50,000 pounds of leather from two counties
in Eastern North Carolina, in danger of falling into the hands of the
enemy. This convinces me that there is abundance of leather in the
South, if it were properly distributed. It is held, like everything
else, by speculators, for extortioners' profits. The government might
remedy the evils, and remove the distresses of the people; but instead
of doing so, the bureaus aggravate them by capricious seizures, and
tyrannical restrictions on transportation. Letters are coming in from
every quarter complaining of the despotic acts of government agents.

Mr. J. Foulkes writes another letter to the department on his cotton
scheme. He says it must be embraced now or never, as the enemy will soon
make such dispositions as would prevent his getting supplies _through
their lines_. The Commissary-General approves, and the late Secretary
approved; but what will the new one do? The President is non-committal.

What a blunder France and England made in hesitating to espouse our
cause! They might have had any commercial advantages.

NOVEMBER 27TH.--Some of the late Secretary's friends are hinting that
affairs will go amiss now, as if he would have prevented any disaster!
Who gave up Norfolk? That was a calamitous blunder! Letters from North
Carolina are distressing enough. They say, but for the influence of Gov.
Vance, the _legislature_ would favor reconstruction!

Gen. Marshall writes lugubriously. He says his men are all barefoot.

Gen. Magruder writes that Pemberton has only 20,000 men, and should have
50,000 more at once--else the Mississippi Valley will be lost, and the
cause ruined. He thinks there should be a concentration of troops there
immediately, no matter how much other places might suffer; the enemy
beaten, and the Mississippi secured at all hazards. If not, Mobile is
lost, and perhaps Montgomery, as well as Vicksburg, Holly Springs, etc.

One of our paroled men from Washington writes the President that, on the
6th instant, Burnside had but seventy regiments; and the President
seemed to credit it! The idea of Burnside advancing with seventy
regiments is absurd. But how many absurd ideas have been entertained by
the government, and have influenced it! _Nous verrons._

NOVEMBER 28TH.--All is quiet on the Rappahannock; the enemy reported to
be extending his