| Executive Department |
| Tallahassee, June 14, 1864 |
| |
| Major-General Anderson |
| Lake City |
| |
| General, |
| I have officially invited
your attention to a correspondence between Judge Dawkins and myself,
relative to the proceedings in chancery upon the application of the
Florida Railroad Company to enjoin the removal of the track of parts
of the road. I have much reason for entertaining the opinion that if
a motion shall be submitted to dissolve the injunction, if properly
maintained in argument, that the injunction will be dissolved. In
fact, I have no doubt of the success of such a motion, and when
informed by Lieut. J. Fairbanks that a writ of injunction had been
granted, advised him to employ counsel and have an effort made to
dissolve the injunction. I presume that he found it troublesome to
procure an attorney or solicitor in
East Florida
. You were mistaken in supposing Mr. Fleming the C. S. solicitor;
Col. C. C. Yonge of this place is. I have to-day had a conversation
with him and D. P. Hogue, esq., who was consulted by Major
Meriwether while here upon the subject, and these gentlemen will,
upon your application, proceed immediately to see and submit to
Judge Dawkins a motion to dissolve the injunction, and will sustain
it, and I would respectfully advise this course to prevent, or
rather remedy, the conflict of authority between the civil and
military authorities of the State and Confederate Government, which
at this particular crisis in the history of the Confederate States
might prove very detrimental to their general welfare. The occasion
would be certainly seized upon with avidity by the opponents of
President Davis' administration, and handled to increase the
excitement and opposition already existing in Georgia and North
Carolina, with which I presume you are familiar, and to encourage
and sustain which Mr. Toombs has recently published a letter to
Governor Brown calculated to do mischief, provided he has not
forfeited the public confidence, which I think is probable. In the
progress of this revolution Florida has acted well her part, and it
would be extremely unfortunate at this particular juncture of
affairs if a controversy should occur within her borders between the
civil and military authorities in despite of the constitution of the
State and of the Confederate States, and the anxiety and purpose of
her loyal and gallant people to sustain the President in his
patriotic and able administration of the Government of the
Confederate States. |
| I am, respectfully, yours, &c. |
| John Milton |
|