The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-07-29
FROM THE SOUTH.
Conflict Between Sen: Davis and the
States OF Georgia, NlississiPpi, Ala
bama and North Carolina.

Conflict Between Sen: Davis and the
States OF Georgia, mississippi, Ala
bama and North Carolina.
MEMORIAL.
To tie Senate and House of Representatives, in
Congress assembled:
The undersigned, Governors of their respec-
tive States, beg leave respectfully 6invte the
attention of Congress to the fact that the
States of the COnftderacy have great need
of many articles for State Q which can only
be obtained by importation. And the Legis-
htures of several of the States have made APP
preparations for the purpose of exporting
cotton and other productions, and importing
necessary articles for the use of the States,
including clothing. shoes. blankets and other
articles indispensably necessary to the com.
fort of their troops in Confederate service,
who frequently suffer from want of necessary
articles which it is not at this time in the
power of the Confederate Government to fur
nish. These explorations and importations
are to be made by the ,vernors of the States,
under the authority of the Legislatures. ct
the risk and expense of the States, upon yes
sells purchased or chartered for that purpose.
The Governors of several of the States. in
the execution of the acts Of their State legisla-
lures. have purchased or chartered steamers
preparatory to the exploration of cotton which
they have now on hand as the proper OF the
States, to place funds abroad with which TO
purchase supplies, to be returned upon Inc
vessel to Confederate ports for State use. Al
this point they regret to say that they are met
by an order from the Seer tary OF the treasury
uuder the authority of the President. wnlcn
prohibits the custom house ofncer from grant,
ing clearances to vessels owned OF charte!ea
by the States with State cargOes. some OF which
are now abroad unless they will consent to al.
low the Confederate Government to use one
half of the storage room of their vessels upon
terms which would cause actual loss to the
States. Surrounded by all the embarrass-
ments with which they have to contend, they
cannot consent to this and believing as they
do that the order has grown out Of an errone-
GUS con tructiOn of the late act of Congress,
which, as they understood it, exempts the
States from all the restrictions thrown around
explorations and importations made by private
individuals or companies; and feeling assured
that those who represent the sovereign states
and people would fail to carry out the views or
wishes of the people or governments of their
respective States, if they should attempt by
any law or regulation to prohibit the States
from the expectation of their own productions
upon their own vessels or such as they may
charter for that purpose and the importation
of such supplies as they need, the undersigned
appeal with confidence to Congress to remove
said restriction and enact such laws as shall Sc
cure to all vessels in the service of the States
speedy clearences, upon application to the Gus
tom house officers at the ports from which the
vessels are expected to 90 to sea.
While the undersigned are aware of the i'm
portance Of expectations and importations by
the Confederate Government, and would gladly
facilitate its operations in every proper way.
they are of the opinion that 1t is better that
each Government should conduct its own bust
mes and affairs for itself.
But independently of this view of the case,
they cannot yield their assent to the doctrine
hot ho do, Nto( Nnvn INT ha
to impose any such restrictions upon the States,
or compel them to submit to any such terms.
When in their power to assist the Confederate
Government with State vessels they will do 80
with great pleasure but they will not consent
to do this under compulsiOn.
they deny that the provision in the Consti-
tuition which authorizes Congress to regulate
commerce among the several States. "confers
the power tosdestrOy the commerce of States,
or to detdin hate vessels until they consent to
rel&quish hq of their storage room to the
Confederate bvernment 1fCongress has the
power toiplace this restriction upon the CON-
merce and vessels of the States, 1t may claim
for the COnfederacy three-fourths or nine
tenths of the room, or may deny the right of
the State to clear vessel upon any terms.
The power to regulate commerce does not in
clude the power to destroy it, or to put any
such restrictions upon it.
The undersigned beg leave further to submit
to the consideration of Congress the question
of the propriety of allowing the State to ex-
port produce and import supplies necessary for
State use free of export and import duties, as
the importatiOns are made for the public use,
and in furtherance of our cause.
In considering this question, it is hoped
Congress will not fail to take into the account
the fact that the Legislatures of part If moi all
the States have passed laws eXempting cotton
and other property belonging to the COnfeder
ate Government, within the limits of the States
from all State tax; and they submit. whether
upon principles Of reciprocity and comfy,
apart from the want of constitutional power in
Congress to tax State property, it is not the
duty of Congress to exempt State properly, in
Guiding expectations and impOrtations by the
States from all Confederate taxation. The uC-
dersigned beg leave to add that it is not their
intention to import articles Of luxury, or in
deed any articles not necessary for the public
Use. and for the comfort of the troops from
their respective States in military service.
j E. BROWN, Gov Of Georgia.
CHAS CLARK. Gov. of Mississippi.
T. H. WATTS Gov. of Alabama,
Il B. VANCE, Gov of N. Carolina.
April, 1864.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
MILLEDGEvILLE. May 8, 1885,.
have purchased thirty thousand soldiers
blankets for the ate of Georgia, now in the
Islands, and have to send out cotton to pay for
them. The steamer Little Ada chartered by
the State, has been loaded for three weeks
with about three hundred bales of cot on
ready for sea. She lies thirty miles from
Charleston. ask clearance for her to go out
now, while we have dark nights She is de-
tanned at heavy expense to the ate. 1 solicit
an early reply.i ,o,,
His Excellency Jefferson Davis. Richmond
RICHMOND, May 10, 1861.
His Excellency. Gov. Brown:
Your telegram of the 9th to the President.
in relation 10 steamer Ada, has been referred
telegram was sent you stating that the act of
Congress imposing restrictions on export of
cotton requir that the regulations of trade
should be uniform.