U. S. quartermaster at Philadelphia awaiting orders. The quota, amounting to forty-three volumes, was ordered to be forwarded to this department, and has been received. There are about 150 stand of percussion rifles in the State are not included in the abstract of arms, &c., belonging to the State. These arms have been ordered to be returned to this department, but none have been ordered were drawn by the Lauderdale Rifles, Attala Guards, and Monroe Riflemen, each of which has disbanded.

In concluding these remarks, will again call the attention of the volunteer companies to the necessity of a regular system of instruction and to the importance of frequent instruction on the field.

All of these suggestions, recommendations, &c., are respectfully submitted.

W. L. SYKES,

Adjutant-General.

Attention is called to be subjoined reports of the inspection of volunteer companies by the adjutant-general. *

NOTE. - In making up the aggregate of arms, &c., belonging to the State, no mention was made of 175 cadet muskets and accouterments. These muskets were drawn from the United States Government some years ago and turned over to Mr. Ashbel Green, president of the Mississippi Military Institute, located at Pass Christian. Of these muskets seventy-five are in use at the institute; the others have been ordered to be forwarded to this department, and should they be received will be turned over to the Brandon State Military Institute.

Address to the people of Alabama. +

The undersigned, delegates to the convention of the people of the State of Alabama, feel it their duty to themselves, to their constituents, and to the people of the State at large to make public the reasons that actuate them in withholding their signatures from the ordinance of secession by which the people of Alabama resumed, on the 11th day of January, 1861, the powers previously delegated to and exercised by the Federal Government. This duty is the more imperative, as designing persons have misrepresented, and will continue to misconstrue, their refusal to participate in a mere form of attestation into opposition and hostility to a solemn act of the State. This act is binding on all citizens alike, and none are more ready than the undersigned to yield a cheerful obedience to the will of their State, to which they owe their first and paramount allegiance, and none will be more faithful in upholding and sustaining at any price and at any sacrifice her interest and her honor in the attitude she has assumed by this act. If, therefore, the enemies of the State derive comfort from the refusal of the undersigned to sign the ordinance, the fault will lie with those who misrepresent their motives or impugn their patriotism and loyalty to their State. The ordinance derives no additional validity from the signatures of the individual delegates composing the convention. The affixing the signatures is a mere form of attestation, and might be, and most likely would be, regarded as a voluntary abandonment and retraction of those principles and views of

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*Reports omitted. The companies inspected were the Port Gibson Riflemen; the Adams Light Guard Battalion, at Natchez; the Vicksburg Sharpshooters and the Volunteer Southrons, at Vicksburg.

+From Journal of the Alabama Convention, January 19, 1861.

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