Letter from Abraham Murdoch, John K. Ottley, and William M. Tagart to Mississippi Governor Charles Clark; April 10, 1865

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Letter from Abraham Murdoch, John K. Ottley, and William M. Tagart to Mississippi Governor Charles Clark; April 10, 1865

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People

Clark, Charles, 1811-1877 Cozart, William M.Murdock, Abraham Ottley, John K.

Military Units

United States. Army

Occupations

Contractors

Places

Columbus (Miss.)Memphis (Tenn.)New York (N.Y.)

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Columbus April 10 1865

To His Excellency
Cha^s Clark
Governor of State of Miss

The undersigned to whoom was referred the question as to how the State of Miss should settle with

from whoom the State had recived 1003 pairs of Cotton Cards under an agreement made between the Parties & which Contract the said State were unable to fullfill on its part in consequence of the action of the Confederate Govement—have considered the facts as presented to them & would advise & recommend to your Excellency the following settlement

The original contract was for the delivery to the State of 16000 pairs of Cotton Cards at 1 ⁵⁰/₁₀₀ in Confe-derate treasury notes & the priviledge of shiping out of Confederate Lines 800 Bales of Cotton—1003 pairs of Cards were recived & 4 Bales of Cotton only shiped out—it will be seen that 20 pair of Cards were to be delivered for each Bale of Cotton taken out, thus 80 pair are adjusted at 1⁵⁰ Ea (Confed notes) 120.00

The remaining 923 pairs it is asserted cost the Contractor $7 per pair in Green Backs, which at that time (June 1864) it is believed were worth at 50 cts in the Dollar for Specie or 3230⁵⁰. The Freight on the Cards it is asserted was $2 per pair or $1846 in Confederate money—We presume from the best data before us that in June 1864—Confeder-ate notes were worth ⁵/₁₀₀ in Specie or 20 for one

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The account would then stand thus—

Cost of Cards in Specie 9⁷³ pairs [gap] 3230.50

Expense of Transportation in Confed notes 1846.00

80 pair Cards at 1⁵⁰— — — $^120.00/_1966.00

for which amount of 1966.00 in Confed notes we add in Specie— — — — $ ^100.00/_$3330.50

We have suggested a Specie Basis for settlement because any other wold involve difficulties—from which it would be difficult to extricate the case—for illustration—Green Backs were worth much less in June 1864 than at present—while Confederate notes were worth much more than at present & the question would naturally arise as to what date should be taken if you abandon ^the^ date at which the transaction actually took place

The cost of the Cards as represented to us to wit $7 per pair in Green Backs or $3 ⁵⁰/₁₀₀ in Specie seems to us an unusual & extraordinary price—In ordinary times Cards were worth from $3 to $3⁵⁰ per Dozen or from 25 to 29 cents per pair—while we can readily percieve that extraordinary expenses would be incurred in getting them through the Enemies Lines & which would of course augment the Cost—We cannot see how the expense could be so largely increased in getting them to Memphis from which point expenses are charged separately The expenses from Memphis are stated to be $2 per pair—this must be much more than the expenses

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from New York to Memphis—which would make the original cost 1⁵⁰ per pair or from 5 to 6 times as much as formerly—We would respectfully suggest to your Excellency whether we have not been misinformed as to cost & whether the Contractors have not been mistaken.

All of which is respectfully submitted

Ab^m Murdock
W^m M. Cozart
John K. Ottley

Columbus Miss
April 10/65

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352 pr returned