UF, F 4/20/1861

Office of Engineer and Superintendent, Florida Railroad
Fernandina, April 20th, 1861
 
Hon. D. L. Yulee
 
Sir,
   The application to the Secty of State for Florida, seems very nearly complete, but the name, number of Trustees, and some few other items connected with these. I propose to settle in New York, sign the application complete there & then forward the same to you here to be filled up as to signatures &c then sent forward to the Secty of State and a certified copy sent to me at Washington D. C. from which place my mail branches off to meet me. All of which I understand to be agreed upon between us.
   So far as the steps are concerned to be taken at Montgomery, I can proceed with or without your aid as you deem most prudent. I should at this standpoint say I thought it best to apply to Mr Mallory, & have him get the orders from Secty of Treasury for right of transit for March mails &c going beyond Florida ??ding of course the matter of the mail from Cedar Keys to Key West, but of course my acquaintance with Mr Orfutt, Reagan & Celimems enable me to ascertain the contemplated routine action of the P. O. Deprt. 
   So far as myself is concerned, coming to Fernandina, you can upon reflection write me at Washington, if agreeable to you, making such a proposition as you think you can afford to make, at same time placing me or Mr Morris on such footing with Mr Roberts, as will enable me to secure his ear and enough of his time, to thoroughly overhaul the question, the first step for the mail I propose to take at Montgomery & advise you; the second step at Washington to secure a mail, is dependent in part upon the arrangement with yourself & Mr Roberts for my personal attention to the road interests, for unless I am authorised to act or have Mr Roberts endorsement, I cannot with any chance of success upon the main question at Washington.
   So far as the Express contract is concerned between the R road and the express company, I had probably better perfect that in New York at same time as the application to the Sectry of State, ??h draft of same to you, and when made mutually satisfactory, signed by you and me, and ratified by our respective boards, (assuming I am ??? of the Express Co).
   As we have discussed so many different views of this subject I have grouped what I considered the salient points together to see if we both comprehended them in the same light.
{The letter is not signed; M. L. Smith was the Chief Engineer of the Florida RR at this time.}

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