| Executive Department of Virginia |
| Richmond |
| January 28, 1865 |
| |
| His Excellency Governor Vance |
| Of North Carolina |
| |
| Sir, |
| I have received your
communication of the [17th] instant with pain and regret. Virginia
has never attempted to avail herself of any advantage she may have
possessed over her sister States, to their prejudice. She fearlessly
challenges the world to show an instance in which she can be justly
accused of such an attempt. It is therefore with no little
mortification that she has received the resolution of your honored
State, impeaching her conduct, or that of her authorities, as
violating the courtesy which ought to regulate the intercourse of
sister States, and inflicting an injury upon the State of North
Carolina. Your Excellency has heretofore been apprised of the
conduct of Virginia, officially, in reference to the salt interests,
and it may be unnecessary to recall your attention to them. But as
they seem to be overlooked, and as Virginia is justly desirous of
the good opinion of your State, it may perhaps be proper and
judicious to revert to the past. Within the bounds of Virginia, but
near an exposed frontier, is found an invaluable saline with
capacity to supply the wants of the Confederacy. Virginia, for the
supply of her citizens, found it necessary to operate a portion of
the capacity of these works herself. She has never attempted to
appropriate this gift of God to man to her exclusive use; she has
never attempted to make money from it by exaction upon her sister
States; but she has attempted to prevent a monopoly thereof, and to
protect the country against speculation and extortion. Under her
liberal policy her sister States have erected establishments there
without being subjected to any exceptionable discriminations. The
Board of Public Works, to whom this subject was confided on the part
of Virginia, and who have controlled the transportation leading to
the works, adopted a just and liberal policy. The Virginia &
Tennessee Railroad Company, on Friday, July 31, 1863 (***), adopted
a preamble and resolutions providing that "transportation on
their road should be conducted, first, for the Army of the
Confederacy; secondly, for the State of Virginia; thirdly, for such
States of the Confederacy as are, through their agents,
manufacturing salt on State account; and fourthly, for companies and
individuals in fair and just proportions. I respectfully submit that
you will agree with me that this resolution was just, fair, and
proper. The Board of Public Works approved and adopted this
regulation. |
| Foreign trains having been
introduced on our roads, ostensibly for the purpose of transporting
salt manufactured on State account, the State of Virginia found it
necessary to regulate this subject. The Board of Public Works
accordingly ordered that "such trains shall not be allowed to
transport salt upon the roads of Virginia, except that manufactured
on State account," and that such trains shall not be allowed to
transport salt on private account and speculation so long as there
was salt to transport belonging to the States owning the trains, or
so long as other States not owning trains might desire to use them
for the transportation of their salt. The immediate cause of this
order was the conviction that private cupidity might interfere with
the supply of the States, and prevent cheap salt from reaching the
citizens thereof. The propriety of such regulation will hardly be
questioned. On the 31st of October, 1863, the Legislature of
Virginia gave to this subject the most anxious consideration, and
they provided by law, first, that the Confederate Government was
entitled to priority of transportation; secondly, that States owning
trains should have the next priority in their use; thirdly, that
Virginia should have the next preference to the use of such trains;
and fourthly, that corporations and citizens of the States owning
the trains should come next. It will be observed that foreign
trains, and the interests represented thereby, are placed precisely
on the same footing with the trains of Virginia on her own roads.
Surely these regulations must be esteemed fair and just. It will
strike you, doubtless, that Virginia and her sister States were
manufacturing salt upon equal terms. Virginia, I repeat, enjoyed no
advantage over her sister States. After satisfying the wants of
transportation on the part of the Confederate Government, each State
used her own trains for the transportation of her own salt, so long
as she had salt to remove, and then the trains of the State having
no salt were required to keep [help?] her sister States in the
transportation of their salt rather than that of speculators. Surely
it cannot be said that this is unjust, or that any State has a right
to complain of it. It may, however, be said that Virginia should be
required to do the entire transportation of the Confederate
Government on the Tennessee road, and this is the only plausible
ground for complaint on the part of her sister States. Is there,
however, any justice in this, even? The States are all making salt
alike, all transporting it with their own trains, and surely should
bear the same burdens and exactions. I know it may be said that the
North Carolina roads do the entire transportation of the Confederate
Government in their State; but this is not the fact. Virginia has
two trains in North Carolina now; one almost exclusively in the
employment of the Confederate Government. But the cases are not
parallel. The Virginia & Tennessee Road does the entire
transportation of the Confederate Government thereon, salt included.
This road penetrates a fruitful region, abounding in iron, plaster,
grain, and hay. But the other day a single requisition of the
Confederate Government called for 400 cars for the transportation of
hay alone. Nor is this all. Nearly the whole transportation of salt
for Virginia passes over the whole or parts of this road; and it can
be readily seen that these various causes so crowd the business of
this road as to put it out of its power to do the entire
transportation. If, however, it is to the interest of North Carolina
to have a salt establishment at Saltville, and trains to haul its
manufactures away, surely the same obligation to assist in meeting
the wants of the common Government of the Confederacy attach as if
the establishment and trains were in the heart of North Carolina
herself. Surely there can be no real difference of opinion as to the
equity and justice of such a view; at least such is the view of
Virginia; and Virginia hopes that North Carolina will, upon
consideration, concur with her. |
| The law of our State fixing
the priorities on the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad before
referred to, made a rule which the Board of Public Works were bound
to respect, but they did not act upon it until March, 1864. At that
time they met at Saltville. The agents of all the interested States
were present and were heard, and the board, anxious to avoid all
room for complaint, resolved that they would require of the foreign
trains but one trip per month to Lynchburg for the Confederate
Government, being less than the pro rata required of
Virginia. This conclusion gave general satisfaction to the agents
present, and all professed to be content, and it was confidently
believed and hoped that the difficulties growing out of this
question were ended. But this regulation was not enforced; the
president of the board charged with its execution neglected it, and
up to this time not a bushel of salt has been carried or other
service rendered except to a small extent by North Carolina, I refer
you for particulars to a communication from Colonel Clarkson,
superintendent of our salt-works, ***. It will be observed that the
whole difficulty has grown out of the refusal of said agents to
execute an order with which they were well pleased, and which was
not only necessary but eminently just and proper. It is time that
Virginia was not bound to concern herself with the transportation of
salt for the Confederate Government; she might have left it to that
Government to provide the transportation which would have been
called for, of course, pro rata from all the various trains
running on the road. But Virginia believed that arrangements so
eminently just and proper would meet with the hearty concurrence of
all, and she therefore deemed it best for her to manage the whole
operation. I have presented this view with the hope that it may
satisfy the General Assembly of North Carolina of the injustice they
have done the State of Virginia in their resolution and they may be
pleased to retract it. But, Governor, while I am allowed an
opportunity by the Legislature of your State to make this
explanation and unpleasant extremities are avoided, you, in
communicating the resolution, apprise me that you have ordered that
the citizens of Virginia with their property shall not have free
transit over the roads of your State. You do not wait for
explanation, but pronounce in judgment upon our conduct and, as far
as supplies are concerned, you leave a country ravaged by the enemy
and a people stripped in thousands of cases of the last mouthful of
food to all the horrors of want and famine. If I understood your
order aright, pardon me if I do not believe you ever intended to
enforce it. It would be a cruel violation of that courtesy between
the States which should prevail, and a deep injury and wrong to a
State which has never sought an advantage over her sisters. At this
day I doubt not from all the information I have that North Carolina
is better provided with salt than Virginia, the necessities of the
Confederate Government having so pressed upon our transportation as
to prevent the distribution of salt among our people. If, Governor,
you have issued such an order I claim it of you -- surely I may do
it -- that you revoke it until this matter can, by the deliberate
action of the General Assembly of Virginia, be further reviewed and
adjudged. I prefer this as a request, without waiving any question
of right; yet it may not be amiss to call your attention to the
first paragraph of the second section of the fourth article of the
Confederate constitution. In conclusion, Governor, permit me to
suggest for your consideration the propriety of a new arrangement
for a supply of salt. I am satisfied if it can be done it would be
better for the State of Virginia to supply her sister States, as
suggested in my message which I had the honor of sending you. I am
entirely convinced, without meaning to make charges, that the
difficulty which has grown out of this question is attributable in a
great degree to the influence of private interest. As our
Legislature is now in session and has this subject under their
consideration, I would be glad to have your views upon the
suggestion I have made. |
| I have the honor to be, Governor, with
high consideration, most respectfully, yours, |
| Wm. Smith |
|