Cloudy and cool. The
news that Goldsborough, N. C., had been taken is not confirmed. Nor have we intelligence
of the renewal of the assault on Fort Fisher—but no one doubts it.
The government sent
pork, butchered and salted a few weeks ago, to the army. An order has been
issued to borrow, buy, or impress flour, wherever found; but our political
functionaries will see that it be not executed. The rich hoarders may control
votes hereafter, when they may be candidates, etc. If domiciliary visits were
made, many thousands of barrels of flour would be found. The speculators have
not only escaped hitherto, but they have been exempted besides.
The Assembly of
Virginia passed a resolution yesterday, calling upon the President to have
revoked any orders placing restrictions upon the transportation of provisions
to Richmond and Petersburg. The President sends this to the Secretary, asking a
copy of any orders preventing carts from coming to market. Flour is $1000 per
barrel to-day!
F. P. Blair, Sr.,
has been here several days, the guest of Mr. Ould, agent of exchange. He left
this morning for Grant's lines below the city. I saw him going down Main Street
in an open carriage with Mr. Ould, He looks no older than he did twenty years
ago. Many consider Ould a fortunate man, though he is represented as a loser in
the war. Blair seemed struck by the great number of able-bodied men in the
streets.
Major Maynard,
Quartermaster, says he will be able next week to bring 120 cords of wood to the
city daily.
If Richmond be
relinquished, it ought to be by convention and capitulation, getting the best
possible terms for the citizens; and not by evacuation, leaving them at the
mercy of the invaders. Will our authorities think of this? Doubtful.
One of the
President's pages told me to-day that Mr. Blair had several interviews with the
President at the latter's residence. Nothing relating to propositions has
transpired.
The clerks are again
sending out agents to purchase supplies. The President has decided that such
agents have no right to expend any money but that contributed. This hits the
Assistant Secretary of War, and Mr. Kean, Chief of Bureau, and our agent, Mr.
Peck, for whom so many barrels of flour were purchased by the latter as agent,
leaving the greater part of the contribution unexpended; nay, more, the money
has not yet been refunded, although contributed five months ago!
Some 700 barrels of
flour were realized yesterday for the army.
SOURCE: John
Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate
States Capital, Volume 2, p. 385-7
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