| Confederate States of America |
| Quarter Master Generals Department |
| Richmond August 13 1863 |
| |
| Hon James A Seddon |
| Secretary of War |
| |
| Sir, |
| In reply to a call made upon Major
Hutson Lee, for a receipt of monies due and unpaid to Rail Road
Companies, on account of Transportation, he has furnished a report,
which together with other papers on the same subject, I enclose for
your inspection, and especially rfer you to the letter of Major Lee
of the 9th June 1863. |
| The refusal of the Secretary of the
Treasury to pay bonds bearing 8 per cent interest, as the contracts
of the Government require render this reference necessary, and in
this connection, I beg leave to remark, that the Hon. Secretary of
the Treasury, under date of March 19/62 said the "evil (non payments
of interest) can be remedied if the Secretary of War will designate
upon the requisition the date the bonds should bear, which he asks
may be placed, either in the hands of a disbursing officer or paid
direct to the claimant. |
| Subsequent requisitions have been made
and accounts adjusted in accordance with the suggestion above
quoted. But, more recently the Treasury Department has refused to
pay the interest in consequence of which the Rail Road bureau, as
well as the Department, has been most earnestly appealed to for
relief. |
| Under the circumstances, which appear to
be of peculiar hard ship, as set for this the correspondence, I most
respectfully ask that you will arrive at some understanding with the
Hon Secretary of the Treasury on this important subject -- the good
faith of the government seems to be involved in it. |
| A. R. Lawton |
| Qr. Mr. General |
|