ordinary pursuits in society to share for weal or woe what has been done in common with their fellow-citizens.

For the convention, by its committee:

PRYOR LEA, of Goliad.

JOHN HENRY BROWN, of Bell.

JOHN D. STEEL, of Leon.

CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA, WAR DEPARTMENT,

Montgomery, April 1, 1861.

Hon. J. P. BENJAMIN,

Attorney-General, Montgomery, Ala.:

SIR: The troops now called into the service of the Confederate States constitute the Provisional Army. These troops have been supplied by the States upon requisitions of the Department. There is, however, some complication in the several acts of the Congress providing for the Provisional Army, the Regular Army, and a volunteer service authorized by "An act to provide for the public defense. " There are acts of Congress making provision for the support of each of these district military organizations, but it is not altogether clear to my mind out of which appropriation the troops now in service shall be paid-whether under the general appropriation act or under the act numbered 66, making appropriation for the volunteer forces. In some sense, and mainly, indeed, if not entirely, the Provisional Army is composed of volunteer troops form the different States, but the organization of this force, as provided for by the law creating the Provisional Army, is, in many respects, different from the organization provided for the volunteer force to remain; and the troops now in service are called the "Provisional forces of the Confederate States. " I invite your attention to these several laws and desire your opinion on the point stated, viz, whether the provisional forces now in service, except those at Charleston, for whom special provision is made, can properly be paid and provided for out of the $5,000,000 appropriation for the pay, subsistence, and transportation of such volunteer forces as may be called into service by the President.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

L. P. WALKER,

Secretary of War.

MONTGOMERY, ALA., April 1, 1861.

Captain RAPHAEL SEMMES:

(Care of A. G. Hazard, New York.)

Schedule up to 2,000; large train, three-eighths inch thick. Must be more dense than that furnished by H. to United States for experiment.

L. P. WALKER.

HEADQUARTERS STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
April 1, 1861.

Hon. L. P. WALKER,

Secretary of War:

SIR: I received yours of 26th ultimo. I did not mean to say that in the appointments to the Army you had failed to "get the best men