James A. Seddon to Jefferson Davis, January 4, 1864

The PRESIDENT OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES: Sir: The letter of His Excellency Governor Brown,* transmitting to you the resolutions of the General Assembly of the State of Georgia, declaring—

That believing it to be the constitutional right of all soldiers who went from Georgia through the agency of the State to elect their regimental, battalion, and

*See Vol. II, this series, p. 1062. (1) 1 R R—SERIES IV, VOL III company officers, we request our Representatives in Congress, as a proper appreciation of the patriotic devotion, patience, and toil of our gallant soldiers in this sanguinary struggle for independence, to use their zealous efforts to procure, at the earliest practicable day, such a change in existing Confederate laws as shall secure the right of all regiments, battalions, and companies in the Confederate service from this State to elect all their regimental, battalion, and company officers, has been referred by you to this Department, and has been respectfully considered. This claim was presented by His Excellency to this Department in several communications, which are submitted, together with the response of the Department to the claim as made by him.

His Excellency does not deny that the action of this Department has been in accordance with the legislation of Congress, and this Department has not considered it to be its duty to vindicate to him at large that legislation as being in accordance with the Constitution. It is proper, however, for it to say that it did not entertain doubt on the subject, and had no seruple in conforming its administration to the will of Congress.

Very respectfully,