NA, SWR 5/30/1863

Executive Department
Tallahassee May 30, 1863
 
Hon. David L. Yulee
 
Dear Sir,
   I had the honor to receive your esteemed favor of the 23rd inst, on the day before yesterday; and today to submit it 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 in 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 in 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 Genl Finegan & 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 for 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 to 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 that the enemy is fully appraised of this necessity and may therefore in the execution of their purpose to subjugate Florida, and especially East Florida; capture the Florida Rail Road and not only use it for conquest over 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 connections 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, derived 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 effort to aid the Confederate Government in making a judicious use of the iron from Gainesville to Cedar Keys, & from 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

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