which the canal runs. He says many farmers are hoarding their
provisions, for extortionate prices.

I have no house yet. Dr. Wortham had one; and although I applied first,
he let Mr. Reagan, the Postmaster-General, have it. He is a member of
President Davis's cabinet--and receives $6000 salary.

There is much indignation expressed by the street talkers against Mr.
Benjamin and Mr. Sanders, in the matter of the intercepted dispatches:
against Mr. Benjamin for casting such imputations on Napoleon and his
consular agents, and for sending his dispatches by such a messenger, in
the absence of the President; against Sanders for not destroying the
dispatches. Many think the information was _sold_ to the United States
Government.

Col. Wall has made a speech in Philadelphia. He said he should take his
seat in the United States Senate as an advocate of peace; and he boldly
denounced the Lincoln administration.

Our official report shows that our military authorities, up to this
time, have burnt 100,000 bales of cotton in Arkansas. I have not learned
the amount destroyed in other States--but it is large. Gen. Lee thinks
the object of the expeditions of the enemy on the Southern coast is to
procure cotton, etc. The slaves can do them no good, and the torch will
disappoint the marauders.

Strong and belligerent resolutions have been introduced in the United
States Congress against France, for her alleged purpose to obtain
dominion in Mexico. It is violative of the Monroe doctrine. And Mr.
Benjamin's accusation against the consuls (embracing a French design on
Texas) might seem like a covert purpose to unite both the Confederate
and the United States against France--and that might resemble
premeditated reconstruction. But diplomatists _must_ be busy--always at
their webs. President Davis would be the last man to abandon the ship
Independence.

JANUARY 27TH.--It is too true that several thousand of our men were
captured at Arkansas Post, and that Little Rock is now in danger.

There seems to be no probability, after all, of an immediate advance of
the enemy across the Rappahannock.

But there are eight iron-clad gun-boats and ninety sail at Beaufort,
North Carolina, and, it is reported, 52,000 men. Wilmington will
probably be assailed.

Mr. Foote said, yesterday, if Indiana and Illinois would recede from the
war, he should be in favor of aiding them with an army against Lincoln.
And all the indications from the North seem