Rained last night;
clear and cool this morning. The report of another battle, since Sunday, in
North Carolina, is not confirmed.
The "Bureau of
Conscription" still lives, notwithstanding the action of Congress! The
President himself, who favored its abolition, yet being displeased with some of
the details of the act, seems to have finally withheld his approval; and so
Col. G. W. Lay, son-in-law of Judge Campbell, is again acting Superintendent.
The great weight (wealth) of Gen. Preston perhaps saved it—and may have lost
the cause. However, it is again said Judge Campbell will soon retire from
office. He considers the cause already lost the work quite accomplished.
To-day some of our
negro troops will parade in the Capitol Square.
The Texas cavalry in
Virginia—originally 5000—now number 180!
Congress adjourned
without adopting any plan to reduce the currency, deeming it hopeless, since
the discovery of a deficiency, in Mr. Memminger's accounts, of $400,000,000! So
the depreciation will go on, since the collection of taxes is rendered quite impracticable
by the operations of the enemy. Yet buying and selling, for what they call
"dollars," are still extensively indulged; and although the
insecurity of slave property is so manifest, yet a negro man will bring $10,000
at auction. This, however, is only equivalent to about $100. Land, when the
price is reduced to the gold standard, is similarly diminished in price.
SOURCE: John
Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate
States Capital, Volume 2, p. 456-7
