Jno. McVea to Stephen D. Lee, June 24, 1864
Maj. Gen. STEPHEN D. LEE, Enterprise :
My DEAR Sir: You will pardon the liberty I am about to take with you. Iama stranger to you, but I plead the interest which we both have in our great cause as my excuse for addressing you. The trade between this section and Baton Rouge has been to a considerable extent revived. The usual effects have begun to follow. Our
currency has again greatly depreciated and our people become demoralized. There was no necessity, and there never was any, for this trade. The necessity urged in its behalf is that of food and clothing. It never existed. In the fall of 1862 the people in the county were making almost enough cloth to supply the demand. It was cloth of the best quality, such as any gentleman could wear.
From the statement above given you will perceive that the amount of cotton shipped under permit will immensely exceed the value of the articles needed by our people, and thus while attempting to relieve the wants of the Confederacy we are relieving the wants of our enemies in a tenfold greater degree. The remedy for this great evil is simple: tary officer of our Government at prices agreed upon. Second. Let an order then issue to one of our cotton agents for a sufficient number of bales of cotton to pay for these goods. the collector of customs that the export duty upon this cotton has been paid, and upon this showing let the military officer here grant a safe-conduct to the cotton. In this way no more cotton will go out than is needed for the articles received. Permit me to say, in conclusion, that Col. J. 8. Scott has given entire satisfaction to all loyal citizens in this section. He has done more in the short time he has been here to restore order and loyalty than all officers who had preceded him. As I have not the honor of your personal acquaintance, you will pardon me for saying that I have been acting as receiver for Confederate States for the whole of Eastern and Southern Louisiana from the beginning of the war, and was lately district judge of this district. What I have written I believe to be true, and it is written with the purest of motives. Believe me, very truly, your obedient servant,