imposts, and excises shall be uniform throughout the Confederate States. " It is true that the payment of postage is not properly a tax, but compensation for service rendered; yet it would scarcely be ingenuous to deny that so to regulate the rates of postage as to produce an excess of receipts over the expense of carrying mail matter for one class and to use this excess in order to carry free of cost the mail matter of another class would strongly conflict with the just equality of privileges and burdens which the above-cited clauses were designed to secure.

I regret to be compelled to object to a measure devised by Congress for the benefit or relief of the Army, but with my convictions on the subject it is not possible to approve the act now before me.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

RICHMOND, VA., January 25, 1865.

Governor CHARLES CLARK,

Macon, Miss.:

Your telegram of 20th received. * There is no necessity for an actual enrollment of male slaves as described; all that is required being that the quota for teamsters, laborers, &c., with the Army should be furnished, which may be done by the masters without the direct intervention of the enrolling officers. If the nature of employment is understood, certain negroes will no doubt go willingly; or, if the master prefers, they may obtain the required elsewhere and turn them over for the service proposed.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

[JANUARY 26, 1865. -For agreement between Governor Smith and the Secretary of War, in relation to certain militia regiments of Virginia, see Series I, VOL. XLVIi, Part III, p. 1140.]

CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA,

QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Richmond, January 27, 1865.

Hon. Mr. MILLER,

Chairman Special Committee:

SIR: I submit herewith, in response to your recent call, a report which shows the issues within the past six months to the armies in the field. A little delay has occurred awaiting receipt of reports of issues due from distant points in the Confederacy. The report shows the issues to General Lee's command from July 1 to January 21, and to other commands from July 1 to January 1, except that the report of issues for the Department of Alabama, Mississippi, and East Louisiana are still due for the month of December. I was gratified that information now given was asked, for the impression is so common that our armies are poorly proviked for that I gladly avail of an opportunity to show what has been done.

I inclose also a copy of General Orders, No. 100, 1862, which regulaates the allowance of clothing yearly. # This table of supply adopted

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*Not found.

#See VOL. II, this series, p. 229.

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