This is an indirect effect of the regulations made in conformity with red in the law to make the exports contribute to the public defense.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

[33.]

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
March 29, 1864.

Honorable JAMES A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War, Richmond:

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 23rd instant, and herewith forward a copy of a general order which I propose to issue for the guidance of the army with reference to the subject of exportation. The order is intended to impose such restrictions as the law appears to warrant, without undue and vexatious interference with lawful carriers. Its operation will be rendered more easy and less inconvenient if all permits be accompanied with such a description of the articles to be exported as will render a comparison of those in the possesson of the carrier with the invoice of the permit easy. The order is silent on the subject of importations, as it would be impossible to instruct officers and men what articles are forbidden and what allowed. The attempt to ascertain the character of the importation by military authority would, I fear, result in loss and injury to the owners, and might be attended with evil consequences in other ways. These considerations caused me to gene no directions on that subject.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

General.

[Inclosure.]

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, [Numbers 23.] [March 29, 1864.]

I. In pursuance of instructions from the War Department the following regulations are published for the informatin and guidance of the army:

II. The exportation of cotton, tobacco, rice, sugar, molasses, and naval and military stores from the Confederate States, or into any part of the Confederacy occupied by the enemy, except under the regulation of the President, is prohibited by law. It is therefore ordered that none of the articles above enumerated be permitted to pass the lines of this army on the way to the territories of the United States, or to any part of the Confederate States occupied by the enemy, without permission under the authority of the Secretary of War to transport the same.

III. Such permission shall be exhibited by the person in charge of the goods to the commissioned officer commanding the pickets at the place where it is desired to pass the lines, and the officer shall examine the same, and if they conform in quantity, kind, and description with the pemission, they shall be allowed to pass, unless the officer shall have been instructed otherwise.

IV. Should no permission under the authority of the Secretary of War be exhibited, or should the goods be greater in quantity or different in kind and description form those mentioned in the permit, the commissioned officer commanding the pickets will take possession of the same, and of the vehicles and teams or the animals used in conveying the same, and of any slave emplyed therewith, and deliver