January 9th.—Bright, clear, and cold.
It is said the government depot at Charlotte, N. C, has been burned (accidentally), consuming a large amount of corn.
We have nothing further of the movement of Grant’s troops.
We have Hood’s acknowledgment of defeat, and loss of 50 guns before Nashville.
The papers contain the proceedings of a meeting in Savannah, over which the Mayor presided, embracing the terms of submission offered in President Lincoln’s message. They have sent North for provisions—indicating that the city was in a famishing condition. Our government is to blame for this! The proceedings will be used as a “form,” probably, by other cities—thanks to the press!
The Examiner is out this morning for a convention of all the (Confederate) States, and denouncing the President. I presume the object is to put Lee at the head of military affairs.
The rumor of the death of Gen. Price is not confirmed.
Gen. Pemberton has been relieved here and sent elsewhere.
The Piedmont Railroad has been impressed. A secret act of Congress authorizes it.
Miers W. Fisher writes that if the cabinet indorses the newspaper suggestions of giving up slavery and going under true monarchies, it is an invitation to refugees like himself to return to their homes, and probably some of the States will elect to return to the Union for the sake of being under a republican government, etc. He says it is understood that the Assistant Secretary often answers letters unseen by the Secretary; and if so, he can expect no answer from Mr. S., but will put the proper construction on his silence, etc.
Flour is $700 per barrel to-day; meal, $80 per bushel; coal and wood, $100 per load. Does the government (alone to blame) mean to allow the rich speculators, the quartermasters, etc. to starve honest men into the Union?
