I would respectfully call the attention of Congress to the fact that Major Whitner has up to this time received no compensation for his services and has, in fact, advanced money from his own funds for necessary expenditures. I would recommend that the amount which he returned to the Treasury of the old issue be at once placed in his hands, anad that an additional appropriation of $20,000 be made to complete the work. This sum is indicated without consultation with Major Whither; and it may not be sufficient, in view of the present high prices; but at present I will not ask for a larger sum. I would also recommend that the other requests of Major Whitner should be complied with by Congress, as they are both reasonable and proper.

It is but simple justice to myself to state that before and since the adjournment of the Provisional Congress I havestant military service of the country, and therefore had no time to give the business my personal attention. It is at the same time due to Major Whither to say that he has spared no effort or pains to do the work as rapidly as circumstances beyond his control would admit. I am sure that I could not have procured the services of a more faithful or competent officer.

I am, very respectfully, yours, &c.,

HOWELL COBB,

President of the Provisional Congress.

[Sub-inclosure.]

AUGUSTA, GA., November 18, 1864.

General HOWELL COBB,

Macon, Ga.:

GENERAL: In compliance with the resolution adopted by the House of Representatives on the 8th instant, which you have referred to me, asking the President to " inform Congress whether the Hon. Howell Cobb, President of the Provisional Congress, has complied with the act of 17th of February, 1862, by which he was instructed to have prepared two copies of the Journaals of Congress and the Proceedings of the Convention which framed the Provisional and Permanent Constitutions of the Confederate States, one copy of which was to be deposited in the office of the Department of Justice; and if not, to communicate to Congress any information he may have as to the present state of the work; also whether the originals of the Journals have been sealed and deposited for preservation with the Secretary of State, in accordance with law," I have the honor to make the followiing statement:

As soon as I received the boxes containing the papers belonging to the Provisional Congress I entered upon the work of complying with the law above referred to. Much matter, as I have before informed you, was missing-all or nearly all the Journals of the Convention and many important papers forming a part of the Journals, as well as some of the Journals themselves of the Congress. It was some time before any of these could be found; and for securing them at all I am indebted to the cordial assistanace rendered by Messrs. Robert E. Dixon and A. R. Lamar, both at one time connected with the Provisional Congress as assistant clerks. Mr. Dixon informed me that he himself as clerk had copied the Proceedings of the Convention in a bound book, which, however, could not be found. Fortunately he haad preserved in his possession the originals from which this copy was made, only a few being missing. These missing Jour-