legal modes, you will at least resort to some temporary expedient for the purpose of restoring the lost credit of the Government, in order that supplies may be obtained from some source. Cannot a temporary loan be negotiated, or cannot you, by a timely and patriotic appeal to the different executives, use the State credit until you can obtain funds? Cannot the certificates of indebtedness be made available to the citizens in payment of their taxes for the present at least? In short, can there not be some means resorted to by which money can be obtained for the use of the Government? I urge these things upon you as agent of the Treasury Department, impelled by a keen sense of the immense responsibility resting on both of us in this matter, and with the hope that you will communicate, at the earliest moment with the Treasury Department, and either receive from them sufficient funds to serve our purpose for the next twelve months or else obtain authority to issue notes here in such denominations and such quantities as the exigencies of the service render imperatively necessary.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. KIRBY SMITH.

General.

HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,
Shreveport, February 11, 1865.

Honorable L. T. WIGFALL,

C. S. Senator, Richmond, Va.:

SIR: I have the honor to inclose to you a copy of two letters of mine, on the want of funds in this department, the one to Mr. Seddon, the other to the Honorable p. W. Gray. * These statements of the embarrassments of this department arising from the want of funds are there truthfully made. The evils are not exaggerated; they are real, existing, and imminent. The estimates of indebtedness have been forwarded. I have addressed you on these subjects before; their importance requires me again to urge you, if possible, to see the Secretary of War and also the Secretary of the Treasury, and induce the latter to send to the Hon. P. W. Gray at least $40,000,000 or $50,000,000 at once. This want of funds is also sensibly felt by the people at large. The tax collector is importunate and demands, under threats of summary proceedings their taxes. They have not the money to pay them, whilst they hold the certified accounts of the Government which, if paid, would enable them to meet this demand. From this springs discontent and dissatisfaction among the people. Please consult with the other representatives from this section of the Confederacy and enlist them all, if possible, in a common effort to secure funds at once for this department. It is vitally important that we should have them. If there is no bonded officer of this department there to receive them, they can be sent at once by some proper bonded officer. I have written to your colleague on this subject.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. KIRBY SMITH.

General.

(Same to Honorable W. S. Oldham, C. S. Senator, Richmond, Va.)

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*See p. 1381, and next, ante.

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