Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-01-19
LETTER FROM THE CONFEDER-
CAPITAL.

Question Of Hentity-OHt1agcS Perpetrated 6y
Federal GuaJoats-EuacuatiOn Of ROmney by
the Yankees--4 Military Censorship of the
Press - RunaOred Loss Of The Confederate
Steamer Jamestoun-Changc Of Temperature.
RICHMOND, January Is, 1862.
We have Just received the report of the Post
master of the Confederate States. Upon in
quiry at headquarters, with a view to sending
an early copy to the editors of the APPEAL, 1
learned that the document was already on its
way to your office in Memphis. As it will prob
ably find a place in your columns en- e1teHsO,
there is no need that l should make a summary
of its contents for the benefit of your readers.
Upon several points made in the report you will
probably concur with the Postmaster General,
such as the necessity that exists that the depart
ment should be a self-supporting establishment,
and the importance of a greatly improved style
of postage stamp to replace the wretehed affairs
now in use.
The postal system of the Confederate States
enjoys this advantage over that of the late
United States, that we have happily gotten rid
of the frightful abuse known as the Thanking
privilege, though It may be questioned whether
the rigorous prohibition of sending newspapers
and periodicals along railway and steamboat
lines, except as matter subject to regular post
age, will not be universally regarded, both by
the reading public and the publishers, as a hard
ship to each class, and a drawback upon news
paper enterprise. With regard to the stamps,
it is indeed a serious reflection upon the indus
trial energy of our people, that while these are
furnished gummed and perforated to the Lincoln
government at the rate of eighteen cents a
thousand, or about ffty-fve stamps for one
cent, the lowest bid that has been made to tie
Confederate authorities is one dollar a thousand,
gunnmed but not perforated, or ten stamps for
one cent.
Altogether, Mr.. Reagan's report is a most
interesting State paper, aud reflects the highest
credit on him as a faithful, intelligent and labo-
rious officer.
The New York Times, Of the 9TH January,
came through to Richmond day before yesterday.
1t contains very little material of interest. One
paragraph from its war correspondent on the
Potomac is worth noticing, as illustrating the
elevated sentiment of the northern women-sueh
Of them as must be considered the high aristoc-
racy of Yankeedom. One day last week Gen. and
Mrs. Banks accompanied by Vice President Ham
lin, Mrs. Hamlin and the Misses Hamin, proceeded
by an extra train from Frederick, in Maryland, to
the nights opposite Harper's Ferry, for the pur-
pose of witnessing the opening Of a new Federal
battery upon a Confederate picket on the Virginia
shore. The guns being already in position, were
accordingly brought to bear upon the " rebels
and the ladies, gentle souls, having been Z" enter
tanned (sic in the pleasant correspondence of
the Times with the shelling out of the secession
outpost, and the scampering off Of its occupants,
returned to town in time to join in a f~estivity at
Gen. Banks headquarters. Application had
been made for the Female Institute of Frederick
as a suitable place for Mrs. Banks to give her
weekly receptions, but, to the horror of jenkins,
the building was refused. 1t will be necessary,
doubtless, to send off the -contumacious principal
to Fort Lafayette.
The Burnside feet is in Hampton Roads in
great force, seventy-two vessels in all, aud we
may expect that it viii strike out for its point of
destination without further delay. Already this
has been twice changed, as we hear from Wash
in consequence of a reasonable Motif
OF Burnside's intentions to the rebels
by parties high in position under old Abe. The
Times, 70 which l have referred, says that the
intimation JEFF. Davis viii have of the real
object of the fleet viii be from the throat of a
-, sv.h ooTr,,LsoT L1a-- - --F.A A----l1.l
way the Times has of talking Apropos of
Burnside, information is desired by certain in
people, whether or not he is the indi-
Of that name who went out from Wash
ngton, garlanded with flowers, the wreaths of
anticipated victory, on the both Of July, 1861, or
hereabouts, toward Bulls Run, and came back
wo days aferward without hat or shoes, wear
ng a dilapidated uniform and very little of the
.ir of a conquerOr. IT so, he viii probably not
to proceed upon the Evansport batteries,
% near the scene of his former disasters. The
lankee vessels, one and all, have a wholesome
Of getting within range of the guns at
.1vansport, though several nights last week, two
4 three Of them steamed up and down the Po-
omac, firing shells wherever they could see a
ight on the Virginia side of the river, thus
war upon unprotected families in a man
Ter the most consistent with the usages of en- I
nations c
The plunderers have evacuated Romney upon I
he very announcement of Gen. Jackson's ap- c
roach, having most probably done all the dam c
ge in their power with the torch before taking '
daoaT+Dra Tha;r ,pboIo 80, -
n our border has been to burn and piliage where
ais could be done with ~impunity, and to run 0
way Immediately upon the coming of a force b
" protection. 1t may be mentioned as a singu- t
circumstance that, although jackson had con fl
to no human being in hs command his
to march upon Bath, he found upon his b
there a copy of the Baltimore American j,
f the preceding day announcing that Bath was b
is chosen point of at ack, Have we spies in p
le War Department here l
Congress has been in session for several days n
asst until a very late hour of the afternoon. ii
they are about is not positively known, Il
the Dispatch of this morning s%tartles the 1
by declaring that they are discussing the tt
Of establishing a military censorship Of Il
lie press. P
There is a rumor on the streets that the Con
derate steamer jamestown has been taken by 81
e Yankee g~unboats in the waters Of the lower ri
lmes river, not in a naval fight, but in conse-
fence Of her having run on a shoal.
Yesterday we had a summers day. TemPera- Z.
re go in the open air. To-day the mercury is
the freezing point and we are threatened with 2
DIXIE.
FUGITIVE SLAvEs.-The Senate bill in rela- -
to the arrest, by the officers of the United ~
army or navy, Of persons claimed to be to
Id to service or labor, has been reported from =,
committed on military affairs. As amend