HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, January 25, 1864.

[Governor VANCE:]

SIR: In consultation of our delegation this morning with the President in regard to public affairs in North Carolina, the President read to us a communication made by himself to you in reply to a letter of yours upon the subject of negotiating with the United States Government for the termination of the war. He did not read your letter to him, to which his was a response, and we do not know what were the views expressed by you to him in your letter. The letter of the President to you contains information which would be interesting to our people, and we are of the opinion that its publication would have a happy effect not only in our State, but upon public opinion throughout the Confederacy. There may be something in your letter to the President which you do to care to make public, and if so, the letter of the President alone would effect our object in getting his views before the public. The President informed us that the letter was a public paper in the hands of yourself, and that its publication was a matter for your consideration; that he certainly had no objection to its being made public. In that state of facts, we have thought proper to suggest the publication of this correspondence, or at least the letter of the President, thinking that it will remove much prejudince against the President now existing in our State upon the subject of peace and peace propositions.

We have the honor to be, your obedient servants,

A. H. ARRINGTON.

E. G. READE.

J. R. McLEAN.

W. N. H. SMITH.

THOS. D. McDOWELL.

B. S. BAITHER.

THOS. S. ASHE.

A. T. DAVIDSON.

R. R. BRIDGERS.

O. R. KENAN.

WILLIAM LANDER.

[33.]

SALT SULPHUR SPRINGS, VA., January 26, 1864.

Honorable JAMES A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War:

SIR: The enemies of Major General Samuel JOnes in this section are endeavoring to supplant him. Since his defeat of General Averell near the White Sulphur the military as well as public confidence in General Jones has been greatly increased, and at this time, perhaps, the general and impartial verdict of both is, that he has done more with the same means for the defense of this section of the country, and for the administration and pretection of its various interests with justice, fidelity, and ability, than any other general who has ever been assigned to this command. If this issue were fairly made before any jury or court-martial of this section where the facts are known, it would not be difficult to maintain the affirmative of the question, all the remonstrances and representations before your Department to the contrary notwithstanding. The late Averell raid upon the railroad (which was simply the sequel of the Droop Mountain affair), over which he had no control, and for which no blame, I suppose, could be imputed to him, has not in the least diminished the public confidence in this region in General Jones. I should feel, sir, that I was obtrusive and that I should owe you an apology for these remarks if I did not consider your Department (whilst in your hands at least) as always open to the