have telegraphed to you before. I have news from Hughes' Ferry to-day. There are no rebels in that vicinity now. Everything is quiet in the upper part of Nicholas County. I have sent out scouts as you directed. I think there cannot be a very large force in Braxton County, or I should have been apt to have heard from them. Captain Gorten, State Scouts, returned from a scout yesterday. He passed through Greenbrier County and within twenty miles of Lewisburg. He heard of no rebels being there. He captured fifteen horses from Thurmond's men, which he brought in with him.

J. WHITLEY, Jr.,

Captain, &c.

CITY POINT, VA., January 15, 1865.

President A. LINCOLN,

Washington:

I send you to-day by telegraph message of Jefferson Davis and other dispatches from Richmond Whig concerning the arrest of ex-Senator Foote, which is all the information I have on the subject.* Any further information I may obtain will be sent you. What is likely to be done with him is difficult to conjecture. I suppose they will at furthest do nothing more than imprison him.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

CITY POINT, VA., January 15, 1865.

His Excellency A. LINCOLN,

President:

The following is clipped from the Richmond Whig of Saturday:

THE ARREST OF Honorable H. S. FOOTE.

The following communication was read in the House of Representatives yesterday, at 1 o'clock, from the President, through his private secretary, Colonel B. N. Harrison:

"EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

"January 13, 1865.

"To the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, C. S. A.:

"I have just received the accompanying report from the Secretary of War stating that Henry S. Foote, a member of the House of Representatives from the State of Tennessee, has been arrested by a military officer in Northern Virginia while endeavoring to pass our lines on his way to the enemy's country. As this arrest may involve a question of privilege, I submit the matter to you, in order that such disposal of the case may be made as to you shall seem proper.

"JEFFERSON DAVIS."

"WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A.,

"Richmond, January 13, 1865.

"To the PRESIDENT OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES:

"SIR: I have the honor to submit for your information and direction the subjoined copy of a telegram received from the provost-marshal at Fredericksburg. No special instructions had been given for such arrest.

"Very respectfully, &c.,

"JAS. A. SEDDON,

"Secretary of War."

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*See next, post.

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