| Headquarters Central Division of Kentucky |
| Bowling Green, Ky., September 18, 1861 |
| |
| Hon.
James Guthrie |
| President of the Louisville &
Nashville Railroad Company |
| |
| Sir, |
| It is my purpose to reopen
the traffic recently suspended by direction of the President of the
United States on such portions of the Louisville and Nashville
Railway as may be under the control of the forces under my command,
and also to re-establish the running of the regular passenger
trains. The counties through which this railway passes are largely
interested in its stock, and are charged with heavy burdens to pay
the interest on the debts which they have contracted in the
construction of the road. The cessation of this traffic, under the
orders of the President, was an act of injustice to the people, who
were already sufficiently taxed, for it deprived the citizens of
these counties of the very means relied upon to pay the
largely-increased taxation demanded by the policy of the Government.
As far as rests in my power, I propose to secure to the people of
these counties their just rights in this respect, by permitting the
traffic on the road to continue as it existed before the illegal
interference of the President. With this view I have possessed
myself of a considerable portion of the rolling stock of the road,
and now propose to you that, as president of the company, you
continue the management of the portion of road within the limits of
the influence of the forces under my command, and conduct it, as
before the existence of the war, in the interest of the people who
are interested in its stock. I propose that you will continue your
agents and employés, with the single restriction that they shall be
men who are not inimical to the people of these counties, and that
the stockholders shall enjoy all the benefit to which their railroad
charter entitles them. In order to secure the rights of the
stockholders, I have directed an account to be kept of the earnings
and expenses of the road, including the amount to which the company
will be entitled for transporting the troops under my orders. This
account will be rendered to you, and the balance paid over on the
single condition that it shall be applied to the purposes
contemplated by the charter. If this proposition should be declined,
I propose transferring the rolling stock to such agents as may be
appointed by the counties through which the road passes. This will
insure an equitable distribution of the property of the road in the
interest of the stockholders. |
| I am, sir, very respectfully, your
obedient servant, |
| S. B. Buckner |
| Brigadier General, C. S. Army |
|