sentatives in Congress see and know but little of their constituents, owing to the fact that there are no public meetings, and the people and representatives stay at home. Living as I do in the country, coming in contact with every class and kind of people, and being somewhat inquisitive, I hope you will not deem me arrogant in saying that I know very well the state of feeling and mind in a large district of country, and the same causes operating everywhere, it is but reasonable to infer that this district is in miniature the State, or even larger regions. I therefore feel it my right and duty to address you, and that you will receive it kindly. The evils to which I refer are so numerous, and in many instances encouraged by officials, that I feel at a loss how or whether to present them, but will do so as they occur.

First. There are three military organizations, viz, general Confederate service, State reserves, State militia. The great evil of this thing is that the general Confederate service is actually weakened; the State reserves is composed mostly of persons liable to and deserters from the general Confederate service; and the State militia is composed mostly of deserters and persons belonging or liable to the other two branches of service. This is not only true as to the privates generally, but the officers also. There is a terrible confusion of these things, and it is knowingly and willfully done and suffered. Men are enlisted in the State reserves under false names and places, who are deserters from the general Confederate service, or are conscripts liable to that service, and this is the case, in part, with the State militia. The infantry is deserting to the cavalry. A large number of persons calling themselves "scouts" and "independent companies" are infesting the valley and its borders north of Vicksburg, who are nothing less than murderers, plunderers, blockade-runners, and Yankee communicants. They are principally young men and deserters, whose "cohesive band" is spoils and booty from our own people. Nearly all of the deserters take refuge with them. They adopt a most extravagant furlough system to make sale or deposit of their booty and to evade inspection or an invading foe; they demoralize the country from whence they come, through which they pass, or where they stay; they scatter at will and pleasure, and reunite in the same way, bearing such permission from their officers. The citizen is their victim in his purse and property. Why is such confusion of service and abuse of pretended service permitted?

The next evil is this, that many soldiers are writing home from Hood's army that if Lincoln is re-elected, they will fight no longer, but will return home, and that such is the general sentiment and resolve of the army. They will not fight four years longer. They meet with favor at home in these propositions, and if they return they take refuge in the swamp service with the mounted plunderers of that people.

The next evil is the two frequent amnesties. It is a common saying that we will not go now, or wait for the next amnesty, or if they go, they go to get the favor of the hour and desert the next to get the benefit of the next amnesty. The army in the aggregate gets no reliable or permanent increase of strength, but the effect is encouraging to deserters and seductive to the army.

The next thing is that the liberal man in this war and the man who is either unable or unwilling to speculate and extort in this war is sadly oppressed by the Confederate States and county taxes, and will not be able to foot up his taxes a second year - if the first - and then he is the victim of the speculator. The patriotic planter, who pays his taxes in king, abstains from speculation and extortion, buys his cards and salt, iron and black smiting, and listens to irresistible