NA, NOJ&GN 2/6/1863

Jackson  Feby 6, 1863
 
Major Ranney
Prest N. O. J. & G. N. R. R. Co   {New Orleans, Jackson & Great Northern RR}
 
Sir,
   This letter will be handed to you by Dr. J. L. Clark of the firm of Clark, Ford & Hurt who have been importing from N. O. large supplies for the Army and in consideration thereof have been allowed the privilege of exporting cotton, he has shown me an order of Lieut Genl Pemberton to you, as President of the road to transport the cotton, upon payment of the Freight, but he is informed that you have declined to transport the Cotton at all unless you receive a Bond of indemnity that the Cotton will not be disposed of, so as to render the Road liable. I have examined the letter of Genl. Pemberton to you requesting the Shipment of the Cotton, and am free to say that its legal effect will be to relieve the Road from all responsibility whatever and I doubt not that its effect will be highly beneficial to the Confederacy, in the way of procuring additional Supplies much needed by the Army at any event the Government of the Confederate States will be bound by the order of Genl. Pemberton of Jany 19th 1863 to which I refer, and the Road thereby relieved of all responsibility. The Government is bound in good faith to transport the Cotton, having already received the full benefit of the contracts whereby they became bound to permit the Cotton to pass out of the Confederacy. I cannot perceive how the Road is to be injured in any respect by carrying it, as the road only extend to Ponchatoula which is a Point within the limits of the Confederacy, and within the Confederate lines and you would have a right to carry it without any Government authority whatever to that Point.
Yours Respectfully
John D. Freeman
N. B.
   The only danger to the Road will arise from the refusal to carry the Cotton because as common carriers they have to right to refuse to carry freight when they are able to do it -- the law requires them to perform this service.
J.D.F.

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