James A. Seddon to His Excellency M. L. BONHAM, February 5, 1864

His Excellency M. L. BONHAM, Governor of South Carolina, Columbia, S. C.:

Sir: I have received Your Excellency’s letters of the 19th of December and 27th of January last, inclosing a resolution of the Legislature of South Carolina requesting the Confederate authorities ” to forego the right heretofore exercised of shipping cotton and bringing freight on the boats owned by the Importing and Exporting Company of South Carolina, in consequence of the ownership by the State of a part of those boats.”

In reply I have the honor to say that a response to the letter of December 19 was delayed because the regulation of the exportation of cotton and other products was understood to be under the consideration of Congress, and it was believed in a brief period legislation would be adopted which would control the whole subject, and either dispense with the necessity of any arrangement on the part of the State or express the conditions on which such arrangements should be made. An act, it is believed, has received the assent, in its main features, of both houses, but has not yet been so passed as to become law. Sosoon as its terms are announced some definite understanding can be had with you on behalf of your State. Meantime, as I explained to Mr. Furman, there is every disposition on my part to meet the wishes of your State, and that any vessel engaged by the State and carrying out for it the amount of cotton required by others to be carried out for the Department would not be interfered with or restrained.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,