James A. Seddon to The Senate And House Of Representatives Of The Confederate, February 12, 1864

Richmond, Va., February 12, 1864.

His Excellency Z. B. VANCE, Governor of North Carolina:

In the pressure of business I have postponed for several days a reply to your last letter, suggesting that difficulties in relation to the steamers Don and Hansa might be solved by the Government acquiring one-fourth interest in these steamers. It has been our policy not to acquire less than a controlling interest heretofore in any contracts made. The recent legislation confirms me in this view. I am willing to place the State on the same footing with the Confederate Government in the shipments that have been made; that is, to credit to the owners the quantity taken out for the State, just as if it had been taken for the Confederate States. The Don and Hansa have taken one-fourth for your State; the agent at Bermuda and Nassau the difference between one-fourth and one-third, which the vessels would have been compelled to take if they had continued to run under arrangements with the Confederate Government. For the future it will be necessary to make the terms upon which cotton is taken out for the States and for the Confederate Government uniform, or the result will be a competition ruinous to each.

8 R R—SERIES IV, VOL III

Upon application from the authorities of the State of South Carolina for the steamer Alice, and of the State of Virginia for the steamer City of Petersburg, I have at once directed the agent that cotton taken out by these steamers, for account of the States named, on the same terms as fixed for the Confederate Government, will be considered as if taken for the Confederate Government and credited accordingly. This arrangement has been satisfactory here and to Governor Bonham, and I earnestly hope will be so to you.

Congress has just legislated on the subject, authorizing shipment by private individuals only under license granted by the Confederate Government, reserving to the States the right to ship out on their steamers their own cotton. Uniform regulations will be drawn up as required by this law, and it shall be my effort to make them such as to facilitate the efforts of the State and Confederate governments in exporting cotton and introducing supplies and munitions of war.

Very respectfully, yours,

Secretary of War.

RICHMOND, Va., February 13, 1864.

STATES OF AMERICA:

I feel impelled by the condition of the country earnestly to recommend to your adoption the extension of the conscription already

recommended in my annual message of the 7th of December last, and

to inform you that the preparations made by the enemy for the campaign of the present year warn us that our armies in the field must