know that this policy meets with the well nigh universal approval of our friends.
We have now on hand copies of the first three volumes of our Papers handsomely bound; (the fourth volume will be ready 1st of January, next,) besides our "Confederate View of the Treatment of Prisoners," which we beg our friends to help us to circulate, and especially to place in every public library in the country.
We have reason to congratulate ourselves that, in spite of the unfavorable year we have had for the conduct of such an enterprise, we have been enabled to maintain our list of subscribers at about what it was twelve months ago, and that we have bright prospects for a large increase during the coming year; and we are satisfied that we only need efficient canvassers to swell our list of members and subscribers several thousand, within a short time.
CONFEDERATE ARCHIVES AT WASHINGTON.
In our last annual report we gave an account of our unsuccessful efforts to gain access to the Confederate archives in charge of the War Department at Washington.
In January last the Department reopened the correspondence with us, and seemed anxious to secure such documents as they need to complete their files. We reiterated our desire to give them the freeest access to our archives, and to furnish them copies of anything they might desire, provided they would reciprocate; but, as they declined to allow us access to the "Archive Bureau," to give us in exchange any copies of documents, or to allow us any thing in return, save the doubtful advantage of advance sheets of the publication they propose to make, when they shall be ready for the press, we could not see that we would be justified in acceding to their proposition.
We call the earnest attention of the Society to this matter, and hope that such action will be taken as will induce all fair-minded men to oppose appropriating public funds to publishing the "Official History of the War" until the Department adopts such rules as will allow citizens of every section free and equal opportunity of inspecting and verifying the originals of documents which it is proposed to publish.
