The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-03-31

ISiDtitticS, IicSC WCiC sii Vic cS' SSt
by an energetic rap at the door Of
the room in which / was rnminating.
In answer to my provincial recogni-
ltion "Come -inw there appeared be-
fore me the form Of one who ! after
ward knew greatly to esteem. This
gentleman introduced his mission
by asking, with an ustonished
glance around the unfurnished
room, if this was the office Of the
Secretary of the Confederate Treas
ury. Receiving my::assurance that
it was, he asked for the Secretary.
"He is absent, sir" was my reply,
"but possibly may answer in his
place and can serve you"
swell, sir" said the gentleman,
with a skeptical expression mani
fest in his face, "my name is Deas-
| CAPTAIN DEAss
late of the United States army, but
Inow on duty under orders from
President Davis. l want the money
to provide blankets and provisions
flor one hundred men, now at the
depot, and who have reported for
duty in the Confederate army"
BY the time this 'requisition' on
the treasury had been made, the
young representative of the Secre-
ltary was fairly on his feet and feel
ling as much non-pluscd as he
must have looked amazed.
money to buy blankets and pro-
visions, did you say? Why, sir,
beyond the small amount in my
pocket, if there is another dollar in
this office 1 am not informed of it's
existence"
Doubtless you have heard of the
army man who swore in Flanders,
but if he could have used more ex-
pressive adjective phrases than did
my friend Deas, at this moment, my
opinion is that he had graduated in
the art at a school in advance of
the ante-bellum West Pointer
However, / was not to be out
witted, and in answer proposed
that we should interview the Secre-
tary at the State house. Accept
ing my suggestion, we were soon
there, when 10! it was announced
that the Congress was in secret ses-
sion and the Secretary could not be
seen. Not wishing to assume re
responsibility which had not at this
early day been authorized. l was
disposed to defer the matter, but
the earnest manner and emphatic
declaration of Capt. Deas would
hear to no such thing. Assured by
this time that my newly formed ac-
quaintance was acting in good faith,
and anxious then, as l trust l have
ever been, to do all IN my power to
advance the happiness Of others. /
suggested that we call upon Mr..
Knox, president of the Contra!
Bank of Alabama, to whom l was
well-known, and state the case to
him. This was soon done. With
his accustomed kindness, notwith-
standing it was late-after bank
hours-the means were promptly
furnished me with which to meet
this first demand of the war depart
ment.
The next day Capt. Deas called
upon me, bringing with him the
officer commanding the company for
whose comfort he had been so much
exercised. This was
CAPT. GEORGE WASHINGTON LEE,
of De Kalb county, Ga, whose
compaLy was the first to report di-
rectly to the Confederate govern
ment, and whose requisition, as
above detailed, formed the first
voucher in the treasurer's office.
1t was not long before my loneli-
ness in the executive building was
relieved. Adopting the wise and
complete system of the United
States treasury, an enduring evi
dcnce of the remarkable greatness
Of Alexander Hamilton, Mr.. Mem
mingcr brought all the energy of
his department. In this he vas
greatly facilitated by the gentleman
who came from the service of the
limited States department at Wash
lington, and who brought with them
a long experience in the details of
tn, elaborate system Of Mr.. Ham
ilton.
Through the enterprise of Mr..
Chas. Powell, Montgomery, who e
willing spirit and great resources
was god-send to me, the many
offices were soon comfortably fur
nished, and every convenience sup
piled for conducting business.
Within ten days after his ap-
pointment, Memminger had the sat
isfaction of knowing that the sever
al departments of the treasury were
we'll organized and systematically at
work. These were:
First-The money department.
Mr.. Edward Gilmore, of Montgom-
ery, rs treasury; Mr.. Thos. Green,
chief clerk, and Mr.. NJ. F. Govan,
clerk.
Second-the office of record.
Judge Alexander B. Clitherall, Of
Montgomery. as register; Mr.. Chas.
lT. Jones, of Indiana, as chief clerk.
4 Third-The comptroller, Hon.
Lewis Cruger, of South Carolina;
J II. T. Mathews, of Virginia, chiel
/ clerk; VIM. Gorbin, of Louisiana
clerk. ;,
Fourth-The auditor, Hon. Boil
ing Baker, of Tallahassee, Fla, }.
M. Robertson, of Maryland chiel
clerk.
Chief of the lighthouse and rev
r enue service, Captain Raphac
: Seems, he who afterwards illustra
t ted the spirit of the Confederacy Sc
: gloriously on to the high seas as
r admiral commanding the Sumter
!. In my office l had as clerks, an(
e as more than clerks, pleasant, gen
e tlemanly associates whom l viii
J. ever remember. Mr.. Ally H
4 Crawford, of Athens, Ca; Mr.. c. c
8 Pinkney, of South Carolina; Mr.
,-lJ. H. Kennerwarth, Of Alabama
;. Mr.. C. T. Popham, of Virginia
J Mr.. j. R. Anderson, of Alabama
g and J. C. Stephens, Of South Caro-
! lima.
} With the Secretary, his assistan
: Mr.. Philip Clayton, of Georgia, ant
= the writer, the reader has the ele