you have devoted youself with entire singleness of purpose to the public welfare; that your labors have been incessant, your services important, and your counsels very valuable to myself and to your colleagues, would be as readily attested by tehm as by myself. The regret that our official relations now end is relieved by the reflection that you will be near me, and by the assurance that I can ever call on you with confidence for any aid that you can render in private life.

Our personal relations, so pleasant during our official intercouse, will not, I trust, be interrupted, and you carry with you in your retirement my warmest wishes for your health and prosperity.

With cordial esteem, your friend,

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

HDQRS. GEORGIA RESERVES AND MIL. DIST. OF GEORGIA,
Macon, Ga., February 1, 1865.

Hon. JAMES A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War, Richmond, Va.:

SIR: I beg leave to call your attention to the inclosed communication form the commandant of conscripts for this State. The importance of correcting some of the evils complained of cannot be too strongly impressed upon your mind. It is useless to repeat my views on the subject of the conscript law, as I have already presented them to you in full and earnest letters.

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

HOWELL COBB,

Major-General.

[Indorsement.]

BUREAU OF CONSCRIPTION,

Richmond, February 22, 1865.

Respectfully returned to the Secretary of War.

This Bureau has frequently urged upon the attentioin of the Government the matter of this letter. Precisely similar statements come from every State in the Confederacy. The Bureau has no authority and no means to correct the eviil. It receives and puts on duty the officers assigned. The commandants devote themselves earnestly and intelligently to have the service performed by these officers, but with results such as are stated by General Browne. The service never will be performed satisfactorily until intelligent and suitable officers are selected and permanently assigned to the duty.

JNO. S. PRESTON,

Brigadier-General and Superintendent.

[Inclosure.]

HEADQUARTERS CONSCRIPT SERVICE, GEORGIA,
Augusta, January 28, 1865.

Major Gen. HOWELL COBB,

Comdg. Georgiia Reserves and Military Distriict of Geogia:

GENERAL: In reply to your communication directing me to urge the enrolling officers to grearter energy and assiduity in the discharge of their duties, I have the honor to state that I am painfully aware of the shortcoming of my subordinates and of the perfect justice of your complaints. Some months ago I maade a strong representation to the