Accept assurances of the highest consideration, with which I am, your obedient servant,*

W. N. EDWARDS,

President of the Convention.

[Inclosure.]

RESOLUTIONS requesting the President of the Confederate States to send certain regiments back to Wilmington.

1. Resolved by the delegates of the people of North Carolina in convention assembled, That the President of the Confederate States be, and is hereby, requested to order Colonel Clingman's and Colonel Radcliffe's regiments of infantry, and Captain Moore's company of light artillery, back to the town of Wilmington, N. C., from which point they were temporarily moved some months since to assist in repelling thei invasion at Port Royal, togther with such forces as can be spared for the defense of that portion of the State, which at any moment is liable to be attacked by the enemy, and the present military force there being altogether insufficient for its defense.

2. Resolved further, That the President of the Confederate States be requested to provide immediately for increasing and strengthening the defenses of our eastern coast, now threatened at New Berne, Washington, Plymouth, Edenton, and Beaufort, and to this and that our Representatives in Congress be requested to call upon the President in a body and make know the wishes of this convention.

3. Resolved further, That the president of the convention transmit immediately to the President of the Confederate States of America a copy of the foregoing resolutions, and also cause a copy to be sent to our Delegates in the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States of America.

A true copy:

WALTER L. STEELE,

Secretary of Convention.

[9.]

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Raleigh, February 13, 1862.

Hon. J. P. BENAJMIN, &c.:

MY DEAR SIR: The fall of Roanoke Island, the key to all the rich northeastern counties of the State, has made a most profound and sad and discouraging impression on our people. Without the means of full information, they think they have been neglected by the authorities at Richmond, and that the value of this position has not been appreciated by them. The enemy can, and doubtless will, commit depredations to the extent of many millions in value of property in the rich country on the sounds, and will remain at his case and with impunity where he can obtain any amount of supplies for his army. But worse than all, the conviction seems to have seized on the public mind in that section that he can readily advance on Suffolk and thus entirely cut off supplies to Norfolk or to Weldon and take possession of the railroads there; also that he can destroy Washington, New Berne, Plymouth, Edenton, and other towns on the two sounds of Pamlico and Albemarle, or advance from them at his leisure. Now, my dear sir, as your friend and the friend of our cause, I entreat you to have something

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*See Davis to Edwards, February 21, 1862, VOL. IX, p.437.

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