| Office Gen. Transportation Agt. |
| Wilmington & Manchester Rail Road Co. |
| Wilmington, N. C. Dec. 6, 1862 |
| |
| {Governor Vance} |
| Raleigh, N. C. |
| |
| Your
proclamation of 28th ult., does not permit shipment of Flour which may
have been on hand awaiting transportation previous to that date. For
instance there were lying at Wilmington & Weldon R. Rd. Sundry
lots of Flour, Hides &c, during the prevalence of Yellow Fever in
this city, at which time it was impossible to obtain means of
forwarding. Again parties claim that flour, or other articles shipped
from Virginia by permission of Confederate Authorities, &
therefore knowing or presumed to be for private disposal and not to be
prohibited. |
| But the
most difficult problem for solution, should you decide that articles
conforming to above circumstances, may be exported is, whether
previous contracts, for future delivery, are or are not prohibited,
& if not, what means shall be taken, or requirements exacted to
determine the nature & extent of such contracts. In conferring
with Col. Strange of this county, on the subject, he expressed himself
not authorized to go beyond the terms of the proclamation, &
promised to ask further instructions. But parties here are pressing
for transportation, & desirous as I am to accommodate shippers,
while equally anxious to comply with the requirements of law, I have
concluded to request of Your Excellency instructions on these point,
for my guidance. |
| I
omitted to ask, whether prohibited articles, known to be merely in
transit through our state, are to be stopped within its borders. |
| An early reply is
solicited. |
| John McLaurin |
|