acterizes it as a "departure" from his plan, and says, "it will be cut off at once." This seems, however, not to have been done until the 11th April, and then all contracts made by his agents involved the State and its credit, and were to be completely respected and facilitated by the Confederate authorities. It is my duty to say to you that, from the small quantity of cotton which will remain in the country and the inadequate inducements which I have the means to offer for what will main, compared with those given under the State plan, I will not be able to acquire cotton for the military service except in small amounts, not at all corresponding to the requisitions upon the office. Whether the laws of Congress and the powers which can be exercised under them can give incased vigor to the cotton office, or otherwise enable you to obtain military supplies, is a subject for your better judgment after such consultation as you deem proper.

My object is to make all such suggestions as I can hope will have a useful bearing on the subject.

First. The laws of Congress allow the State to export cotton "on its own account." This means, I presume, cotton belonging to the State, and not such as it undertakes to "exempt" or "protect" for private parties. If this State is obliged to become the owner of cotton before exporting it, it can acquire but little, the exemption which the Governor provides for an equal amount being in fact the main consideration enabling him to make his purchases. An efficient and prompt execution of the law of Congress by the civil authorities charged with the subject, on the receipt of the regulations for the overland export, will no doubt disable the Governor from withdrawing such a large amount of cotton from the country. How far you will consider this a matter as to which you have any voice, one way or the other, I do not know; nor how far, in case your have, you may deem it for the public interest that the Governor should now be allowed to take out all the cotton contracted for by his agents, without obstruction by the Confederate authorities. The Governor has professed from the beginning, and continues to do so in his letters to you and to Major Bryan, that the greater part of the cotton taken out under his plan was destined to procure arms, ammunition, &c. The office has sought in vain for some practicable and definite arrangement by which the Governor, in possession of much the largest share of the resources for making purchases, would relieve the cotton office from the resources for making purchases, would relieve the cotton office from the burden of providing cotton for the same purposes. But it seems that nothing more definite is consistent with the view of the Governor than these reiterated general professions. Mean time arms, &c., are arriving here and the crippled resources of the office strained to the utmost, either to pay for them or to cause encouragement to their introduction by sea, the most reliable and practicable method. I desire most distinctly to be understood as being perfectly willing to the export of cotton by the Governor rather than by the cotton office, if such returns for it can be secured as are satisfactory to you and relieve a corresponding obligation from the office.

Second. What will be the condition of the cotton office under the recent laws? Arrangements for the export of cotton by sea are confided to the collectors of customs. All persons are authorized to export cotton in vessels, one-half for themselves, the other half for the Government, on certain conditions, on giving bond to bring back into the country one-half his cargo in articles not prohibited, and to