The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-10-05
WHAT A FRENCnMAN
SAW IN DIXIE
In 1863

The Cabinet Is composed oil the AttoIhc.-
General, Secretary Of Foreign Anais'
Secretary OF War, Secretary OF the Navy
Secretary OF the Treasury, ana Tue ios'-
masfortscneral.
the ATTORNEY General also fills the office
If "kccper ot the records" and keeper OF
the ecals."
AZ the Confederate states have not rs yet
6cep ssrecognized'' by the various Powers 81
The world. the Secretary Of Foreign Auaiis
has had mt this stage ofailairs Few demands
for his services. Mr.. Benjamin. Wei
known "a a gifted orator al the bar and H.
the Scnate'cf the United states, is the aciuai
incumbent of this Office.
Asy the Conlederacy does not need
0Sccrctary OF the Interior nor "Seclt-
tary OF Commerce." the functions OF ih'
r former being performed temporarily by TIE
Secretary OF War. and there will he no
functions for the latter as long as the block
AIDE continues 10 exist; nor until treaty
of peace and friendship, as well as COM
mcrce. has been entered into with foreign
nations.
v.-TuE WAR DEPARTMENT.
The chiefs of the different army corps
communicate with the Secretar, Of " a.
through the Acknowledgement. ms po-t
has been entrusted to General Saiiite'
Cooper, one Of the five generals OF Inc Con
federacy. He filed the same position III ih'
Army Of the United States before the =, p
ara,ion- Of the South from the Union iiis
position is one Of labor and annoyance, ana
does not carry with IL the compensauohs
which fall 10 The 10, of the victorious gen
eral in the field. found in General COol cf
an old acquaintance, one had made during
nv stay in the Federal capital. lie re-
ceiycd me with the most profound courtesy
and 10 him am indebted for many oil Inc
documents which have made use OF III ms
work.
Like the President and General Lee. he
retains his equanimity in presence OF Inc
most tremendous events. The zeal with
which he deyotes himself 10 the important
duties OF his Office is fully recognized %!
the people for whom he labOrs.
Tie Secretary Of War, j. A. seldom, ~
spite of the numerous demands upon M
time and attention, received me Win the
most perfect courtesy, and answered all ny
questions with the greatest patience.
owe 10 him much valuable information re
garding the department he controls Win -
much ability. Rather austere IN manner
but still kind, he seems to possess M Il /,
eminent degree, the characteristics whict
enable him TO discharge the onerous duile'
of his position without delay or diihcuity
s.The surrender of NicksbuTg," said he 4
me, twas a mistake on our part, ana u u
useless to try 10 conceal 1t; the surrender
of Port Hudson followed as matter o
course, but no matter 10 whom the iaui'
NAV be attributed, these events do not ~
the least shake our resolution ~ drive IN
enemy of our soil if it takes The
last drop Of blood flowing in southern VEINS
TO accomplish it, Later on he added: "l
we had one million more OF population We
would have "A hundred thousand more sold
iers at our disposal, and the Federals would
long since have received the lesson they 81
well merit. Unhappily, in every engage
ment we have 10 contend agains, an odds Oh
two to one. sometimes three TO one, SO III ~
when we wrest victory from them ii - al
such fearful sacrifice that we have
power left 10 follow up our success. a.
have always lacked sufficient means ol
TRANSPORTATION, and consequently cannJ'
provision an army on the march. The lach
of n reserve corps, which is felt so severely
by all our generals in their battles, cannot
be imputed 10 our want Of foresight; II u
simply beyond the limits of our resources.
The President, General Lee, and Genera
Cooper, had already made the same state
ment TO me with regard 10 II reserve corps
vI.-TuE NAVY DErARrMENr.
The Secretary of the Navy, Monr. MAJ
lory, Is, perhaps. the man who finds hims ]
face TO face with the most formidable am
culties.
lie has been called upon to build W Z
navy for the Confederate states. althou Il
all their ports are bl0ckaded and they are u
possession of very few vessels; he cauho
afford 10 establish large aud expensive
dock-yards for any day these might fall int'
the hands of the enemy, who would 80
hesitate to destroy them, neither can h'
employ foreign assistance, for the ship
Yards of Europe are closed against him. 81
one can form no opinion as to what The
Go,fa1arata navy will bp when the IpfIiIl
of peace shall enable them 10 give it all Tho
advantages which other nations have al
their disposal.
The manufacturers of Paris will dheI,
ALREADY market when the treaty OF com
merce is in full operation, particularly
the Southern people persist IN the res0lu
ton, and which ut present seems 10 be
pretty firm, not under any circumstance
10 have recourse TO the Yankees to suppl!
their wants, however strong heinducemen
may be 10 do so.
NU.--rHE TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
The management of the Treasury Depart
ment has been entrusted by the PresideD
TO the hands of Mr. q. {. Memminger u
South Carolina.
In recent report of the operations il
his department the Secretary gives us Il ul
report Of the financial status of the com
try. He shows that the debt Of the Con
federate States is only about equal To one
fourth of the debt of the United states
while the population Of the former equal
one-third OF the population Of the latter
Furthermore. the Northern States depen'
upon their manufactures, and since Tia
war, the products OF their factories haV
been far i'm excess of the demand for them
while the South depends upon Ogricultur
for the support of her citizens, ana will hn'
in her raw materials "a treasure which vii
enable her fearlessly 20 face the world.
NuI.-TliE rOSTOrfICE DEPARTMENT.
The various offices under the control q
the Postoilice Department are all in goo.
working order. and perform their varou
functions with as much regularity as th
existing state OF things will permit.
The postage-stamps in present use are q
the following denominations: 20 cents, Il
cents, = cents. Letter-postage amounts 4
10 cents for the hali-Ounce. For newspaper
and other printed matter il is cents for ia,
hali-ounce. All additional weight is take,
at the same rate, either for letters or prinie,
matter. In the beginning of the service thu
postage on letters was cents, and OF
printed matter cent, and the Government
issued stamps Of these values, which ",
occasionally find still in use In pairs in
stead OF singly. II is supposed that Will
the re-establishment OF peace there will bt
feuuctOn Ol Tue rates Ut postage, DOti
domestic and foreign; the latter, OF cosWse
Is matter of small Importance TO the Con
federacy at present.
HUp 10 the time Of the secession OF tn,
States, the postal system OF the lnte(
States had needed a yearly appropriation %
nearly $4,000 TO supply its deficit. The
Constitution OF the Confederate States de-
mands that the postal system shall be self
supporting, and under the efficient manage
meut OF Mr.. Reagan, the able postmaster
general, this has not only been accomplished
but the end OF tae fiscal year OF 1868 found
the receipts largely in excess OF the expen.
ditures.
IN.-TnE PATENT OFFICE.
A pateut Office was established by act a
the Provisional Congress immediately after
1.-THE separation" The general provision,
OF this act are much the same as those
which govern the United States patent
office, but are more liberal towards foreign
ers. Mr. Rhodes, the chief officer Of this
branch Of the service, informed me that
the applications for patents were already
numerous. and that the COnfpdpracv nron,