Washington telegraph., 1863-04-01

OFFICIAL REPoRTs.-Ne are indebted 10
Hon. C. b. Mitchell and Gen. Royston for the
official reports of the different heads Of depart
ments at Richmond. They are all Of deep
interest. bet too voluminous for our columns.
We can only present the most striking features
The ReporI Of the Secretary Of War il mostly
taker up with recapitula,ion of the past state
ct orr affairs, and military operations with
which our readers are already familiar. The
object of this j. avowedly to vindicate the wis
dom of the first conscript act and the necessity
Of the second. The case is made out conclu-
would have been lost, whereas by its effects
our armies from reverses and defeat rose to
succession Of victories, which have placed the
military strength Of the Confedelacy on
gwen by the Secretary to the last exemption
act j. as follows, and explains the grounds Of
the Instructions given TO enrolling officers, by
which persons under 80 years of age have been
SUBJECT 70 CONSUMPTION, notwithstanding they
might be owners, agents, or overseers or plan
taticns with twenty negroes. by the frtt act
al persons under % were declared 10 be in
the militia service. Speaking Of the second
exemption. he says:
An impression has strangely prevailed, that
The exemptions prescribed by the act availei.
A. well TO discharge from the army a. to ex-
onerate from the cal OF CONSUMPTION. For this
no foundation c.ln BE- founi in the law, while
Al al. i'm I, g..
act r. retain tnc ARMY absolutely essential,
as wei as tie general PhraseOlogy Of the law,
excludes such construction. The whole scope
and operation Of the second act apply exclu-
slvely 90 those 10 be subjected to the expecte
CAL VI the Pres .dent, aud the act Of exemption
passed to limit anu define it. can. OF course
have no wider stretch. Tine very term exemp-
ton implies freedom from a c.li 10 be made,
not discharge from existing service.
He alluies 10 the dissatisfaction and com
plant with regard to the exemption ON account
Of slaves, and recommends A. follows:
IL would probably relieve the law from much
odiuH, aud Yet promote only equity and the
PuLic sood, If where, ~ ia cases not unfre-
quenIly presented, eight Dr ten helpless whites
are dependent GA one male frien within ths
prescribed age. exemption should " accorded
by law.
liz says the policy Of organizing bands Of
partizan rangers has lot been approved by
experience. The department, while reluctant
70 disband them, avoids raising more, and
into the line Of the provisional army.
With regard to the supply Of ordnance, arms
aud munitions We give the following extract:
The increased stringeney of the blockade Jy
the enemy, while ii has IN sde the importation
Of sufficient supplies more difficult and costly,
has ~ the same time induced more energetic
efforts n find anu dcyelDpe all internal re.
sources. The results 80 far are very encOurag-
Ing. Our present supplies are at least as
abundant they have been at any time past.
and our prospects for tie future more prom
ising. Two establishments, ID addition to the
leading one heretofore existing AT this city. for
making ordnance have been founded ia interior
towns under thr auspices Of the department
one of which j. already ia successful operation.
and the other will lie il very short tire.
Besides these, some smaller establishments have
been fo-tered and engaged IN similar work
Thus the serious anxiety which resulted from
dependence a single establishment, liable {.
be interrupted by casualties or the chances of
war. has peeu removed. aud . larger provision
secured fur future supplies. OF small arms
the department can now furnish stores more
adequate 10 the requirements of the army thu N
nj any receding uate, white of munitions IL
enrertiin> now a. ureai a. drtircucF. In these
particulars al-0, by the encouragement and
establishment OF manufactures within the Con-
federacy, tie department Is daily becoming
less dependent on fort in supply, and it in-
dulges the hope that il will, at no remote
per cd, be able to dispense altogether with
that reliance.
The question Of supplies IF forage and sub
sistence TO tie army, is one of great delicacy.
The recommendations Of the Secretary uron
this subject are unobjectionable in principle.
1t il certainly rs proper for Congress {, i'm
press supplies, as to take persons by con.crip-
ton. How it might work in practice is doubt
full, as havi ne tendency to repress production
For ourselves, we are fearful Of it. effects, and
prefer some more radical relief for the evil of
high prices. The remarks of the Secretary
are a. follows:
For due supplies Of forage and subsistence.
reliance has been placed on the productions
and resources of the Confederacy alone and
so far they have proved abundant. They are.
however. more affected BY the peculiar crcum-
stances Of the country. The harvests Of the
past season have not generally proved propi-
iious. and notwithstanding the much larger
breadth on land devoted a. the culture Of &C.
reals and forage. the product Id many extensive
districts of the Confederacy is below the aver
age and in some even threatens scarcity The
cost and want Of transportation make difficult
the collection. distribution and equalization Of
such products. Ia addition, the rayages az
war. prosecuted by our malignant enemies in
shameful violation IT all civilized usage for the
end, If rapine or destruction, have desolatel
considerable districts Of fertile country. The
districts thus devastated have zen, too. mainly
those which have heretofore afforded the larses Il
supplies Of meat. The rearing Of animals for
food has been since the war very generally
increased throughout the Confederacy, and
from other districts larger supplies than here
tofore may be expected. Still the scarcity of
grain and forage must check considerably this
increased production, and render adequate
supplies for the future more doubtful yet
graver cause renders the procurement Of the
supplies that exist difficult. The redundant
issue o. treasury notes, which the needs Of the
treasury has made inevitable, by initiating the
currency far beyond the wants of the country
for circulating Medium, has caused a great
enhancement Of all prices, and inspired gen.
eral and inordinate spirit Of speculation. As
the cause Ct enhancement has been and must
be continuous, being the necessary issue OF
treasury notes. SO the increase in prices has