| Executive Department |
| Tallahassee May 30th 1863 |
| |
| Hon David L Yulee |
| |
| Dear Sir, |
| I have the honor to receive
your esteemed favor of the 23rd inst. on the day before yesterday; and
today to submit to the consideration of "the Trustees of the
Internal Improvement Fund." The Trustees Appreciate the delicacy which
may have heretofore restrained you from making a generous offer of the
iron on part of the Florida Rail Road to aid the Confederate Government
to conduct successfully the defences of the State in a war which
threatens our political existence and most sacred rights with
destruction. To relieve you from all embarrassment on the subject, the
Board of Trustees promptly and unanimously passed the Resolution, a copy
of which is herewith enclosed. |
| I am much indebted to you for
your kindness in supposing that the letter addressed by me to Brigr
General Finegan and transmitted by him to you with a copy of Lt. Gift's
letter to me was "a courteous formality in the treatment of an official
communication from an officer of the Confederate Service." The
reputation of Lt Gift as a brave, patriotic and intelligent officer,
would doubtless have justified the courtesy if I had not been previously
informed of the necessities of the Confederate Government fr the iron
and its purpose to compensate the owners for it, provided they were not
alien enemies; as well as, the desire of "the Trustees of the Internal
Improvement Fund" to facilitate any movements the exigencies of the war
might require the Confederate Government to make for the defence of the
State. |
| Agreeably to recollection my
attention was first invited to the necessity for the removal of the iron
from Gainesville to Cedar Keys by the proceedings of a public meeting at
the former place in which you were represented to me as having
participated and to have expressed an anxiety for the removal of the
iron and a willingness for it o be used if necessary by the Confederate
Government. |
| Impressed with your generous
patriotism at the time, now that I have reason to know that the
Confederate Government very much needs iron and that the necessity is
daily becoming more pressing in the conduct of the existing and
formidable war; and believing the Enemy is fully appraized of this
necessity and may therefore in the execution of their purpose to
subjugate Florida, and especially East Florida; capture the Florida R
Road and not only use it for conquest in that portion of the State, but
deprive the State of the most tangible and convenient means, at its
disposal, for the Confederate Government to make the connection
necessary to secure the transportation of troops and munitions of war
for the defence of the State, as well as to afford to the State, desired
opportunities to contribute to the subsistence of the armies in
Confederate Service; it affords me pleasure to give assurance of the
solicitude of "the Trustees of the Internal Improvement Fund" to
cooperate cordially with you in patriotic efforts to aid the Confederate
Government in making a judicious use of the iron from Gainesville to
Cedar Keys, and fro Camp Cooper to Fernandina. |
| It is probable "the Florida
Rail Road Company" have the implements for the removal of the iron
without injury and that it would afford them pleasure to turn over the
implements for the purpose to "the officer of the Confederate Service"
to whom the duty of having the iron removed may be assigned. |
| I have the honor to be |
| Very Respectfully |
| John Milton |
| Governor of Florida & President of the
Board of the Internal Improvement Fund |
| |
| Resolution adopted May 30th 1863 by the
Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Fund. |
| Resolved, That in
consideration of the exigencies of the Country and the great public
necessity for Rail road iron in the defences of the same, the Trustees
of the Internal Improvement Fund do hereby give their consent and so far
as they have authority or power so to do, do authorize the President and
Directors of any Rail Road Company in the State which ha accepted the
provisions of the Internal Improvement Act, to loan or sell to the
Government of the Confederate States any portion of the iron on their
respective roads which the Confederate Government may desire to borrow
or purchase for the purpose of more effectively defending the country,
during the continuance of the existing war. |