EXECUTIVE OFFICE,

Richmond, Va., January 24, 1865.

GENTLEMEN OF THE "JOINT COMMITTEE ON THE STATE OF THE COUNTRY: "

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of resolutions adopted by the General Assembly of Virginia in relation to certain restrictions said to have been placed on the transportation of supplies of food to the cities of Richmond and Petersburg.

Upon investigation I find that no orders have emanated from the War Department or the provost-marshal of Richmond of the character supposed in the resolution. I, however, learn that there may be an order of the character spoken of emanating from the lieutenant-general commanding the Confederate forces on the north side of the James River, which, if so, will be ascertained at once, he having been furnished with a copy of the resolution and called upon for information touching the same.

I am, gentlemen, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

RICHMOND, January 24, 1865.

Hon. JAMES A. SEDDON:

SIR: Impressed with the importance of placing in the Army every man capable of bearing arms, and of recruiting our forces from any source where recruits can be had, and believing it to be the duty of those who advocated secession and war to prove their faith by their works, I would most respectfully ask that I may be allowed to enter the Army of the Confederate States with such rank as the President may think proper to confer.

I would prefer as the field for my operations Arizona and New Mexico, where I feel assured troops in considerable numbers may be raised. In my opinion the surest and speediest means for recruiting in those Territories would be to organize a force in the spring and make a sudden move upon Arizona and occupy it, then send into the mines and recruit from among the miners, the greater part of whom are Southern men, and at the same time organize the Mexican population, who would join us in considerable force, making, between the two, such a force as to hold the Territories unless a very strong force was sent against us, and in that event we could at any time fall back into Texas.

That the troops for this purpose could be spared from Texas I have no doubt, there being at the present time a large cavalry force in that department, not occupied and who might be spared, as the move would make a diversion of the enemy's troops in favor of Missouri, should we move against that State in the spring. The enemy's forces now occupying those Territories are scattered over an extent of country 1,500 miles in length and they could not concentrate their forces in time to prevent us from occupying the country, and by usinndian tribes living on the Overland route to Santa Fe that line of communication could be so interrupted as to make any re-enforcements over that route very hazardous and uncertain, while a small force could prevent re-enforcements from crossing the desert from Fort Yuma across to Tucson. The Territories, once in our possession, could be held against any force the enemy would be likely to