Letter from Judge Advocate R. J. Morgan to General Leonidas Polk; April 30, 1864

Documents
Letter from Judge Advocate R. J. Morgan to General Leonidas Polk; April 30, 1864

Document Network
Document Metadata

Each transcribed document contains links that connect it to other documents on the same topic in the collection.

People

Clark, Charles, 1811-1877 Morgan, R. J.Polk, Leonidas, 1806-1864 Seddon, James A. (James Alexander), 1815-1880

Events

Legislation. Confederate States of America. Congress

Military Units

Confederate States of America. Army United States. Army

Organizations

Confederate States of America--Congress Confederate States of America--War Department Military Headquarters

Occupations

Cotton Factors Lawyers

Places

Alabama--Marengo County. Demopolis

Page 1

[seal]

H^d Qtrs Demopolis Ala
April 30^th 1864

General

In reply to Your inquiries respect=ing Your rights and powers as Commander of this Department to grant Authority for the exportation of Cotton in the Country Occupied by the enemy. under the recent Act of Congress And constrictions from the War Department. Ihave the honor to submit the following opinion

Under the Act of Congress issued to & the instructions from the Sec of War following upon that act: You are em=powered "When an occasion mounts its=self for securing supplies indespensably necessary for the Army". to grant permission to parties to export Cotton into the eminys line for the purpose of exchange for those supplies. This permission is to be granted for the benifit of the Army and not for personal Advantage or Private Speculation And can not therefore be Given to individuals for procuring their own or neighbourhood supplies

Page 2

In all cases When the permission is granted the Consideration Which the Government requires is that these supplies received in exchange Shall be for the benifit of the Army and "indespensably necessary" for its use

The Sec of War issues that great cir=cumspection be used in the execution of any plan adopted And that All such traffic must be subject to the inspection of the Department Commander And Should be under the Supervision of trustworthy Officers. In all cases security should be required of the party for the faithful execution of his trust. The permission Must be direct from the Dept Commander And if at any time is Should by discovered that any meschief resuts from the system it should be abandoned. The Commander Should therefore reserve to himself the right. at any time to withdraw the permission

Under the Authority of the Act of Congress and instructions above referred to. You can grant permission to the Execution of any State in Your Department for the purpose therein specified. Any supplies he may wish to procure for Miss & war his state will be for the benefit of the Army

Page 3

An Arrangement: Made with Such an Officer will probably secure more effectually the [?] Sought by Congress to be accomplished—than with individuals liable to the Complians incident to traffic with an enimy

I am very Resply
Your obt svt

R. J. Morgan
Judge Advocate

to Genl L Polk
Comdg Dept—

Page 4

Letter from Genl. Polk to Gov. Clark with enclosur.