Richmond, Va., March 11, 1863.
To the Senate and House of Representatives.
I herewith transmit for your information a communication from the Secretary of War, covering several reports of engagements with the enemy.
Jefferson Davis.
Richmond, Va., March 12, 1863.
To the House of Representatives.
I herewith transmit a communication from the Secretary of War, in further response to your resolution of the 5th instant, in reference to claims for vessels seized for public use.
Jefferson Davis.
Richmond, Va., March 12, 1863.
To the House of Representatives.
In response to your resolution of the 28th ultimo, I herewith transmit a communication from the Secretary of the Treasury, relative to cotton purchased for the Government in the State of Louisiana.
Jefferson Davis.
Richmond, Va., March 16, 1863.
To the Senate of the Confederate States.
Agreeably to the recommendation of the Secretary of State, I hereby nominate Lucius Q. C. Lamar to be Commissioner to Russia, and Walker Fearn to be Secretary of the Commission.
Jefferson Davis.
Executive Session.
To the Senate of the Confederate States.
I deem it proper to inform the Senate that I have given commissions to James M. Mason, John Slidell, and Lucius Q. C. Lamar, investing them with the powers of Envoys Extraordinary and Ministers Plenipotentiary of this Government near the respective courts of London, Paris, and St. Petersburg.
As these commissions were to take effect only upon the contingency of the recognition of the Confederacy by those courts respectively, and are held in abeyance till that event, I consid-
