The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-04-04

/ Leading me up to him. he said: MIR. Presl-
dent this is my private secretary Then
| turning to me said:
"'Mr. Davis has Just honored me with the
appointment of Secretary of the Treasury,
and have appointed you my private secre-
tary l want you to go find quarters and
establish an Office at once The world must
know tomorrow morning that the Confede-
racy is a fixed fact, and that its Executive
Departments are ready for business
Il left him, and after some trouble secured
the old warehouse you see yonder for the
Treasury Department, and took immediate
possession. There was no furniture, and on
dry goods box wrote the first official order
/ of the Confederate government. 1t was
dated Montgomery, Ala, Feb. IS, 1861, and
read
"'rhe Office of the Secretary of the Treasury of
the Confederate States of America Is established
at the corner of MARKET and Commerce streets,
where the Hon. Mr.. Meninger, Secretary OF the
Treasury, or the undersigned can be found from
A, NJ to p. Nj, to transact the business Of that
department.
1.-THE Mail and Messenger, in its issue of
the 18th OF February, printed this curious
official document. This was the starting
point, and it seems ludicrous enough to look
back to it in the light of the mighty events
that have occurred since those days. Mr.
Meminger was the first cabinet officer APP
pointed and announced, but the other de-
partments were rapidly filled, and the gov
GlllLlSiL Was sOOl1 III NOIhlilS OTiCI. mere
were naturally many amusing incidents con-
nected with the early organization. | re-
member that only day or SO after the Treas
ury Department was opened a tall, Soldierly-
looking man came in and asked for Mr..
Memnger. | told him he was at the Capt.
toi attending a session of the Senate.
He said he must see him. l replied that it
would be hard to do so until after the Senate
adjourned, and asked him if there was any
thing l could do for him He introduced
himself as Mr.. Charles F. Deys, and said:
81 have been appointed by President Davis
as acting Secretary of War, and company
of soldiers has arrived in need of provisions
and quarters
"'Tnere is not a cent in the Treasury
said l, but l will consult Mr.. Meninger and
see what can be done But Mr.. Deys said
he must have rations and quarters for the
men. and that it was very singular that there
should be any delay. He seemed much an
noyed that the government was not fully
equipped and in possession of the resources
to meet the demands of war.
II finally told him to return in an hour.
In the meantime | sought Mr.. Meminger,
explaining 10 him the situation. He told
me to go to Captain Knox, of the Central
Bank, and get what money was necessary for
the immediate relief of the War DEPART
ment l saw Captain Knox and told him OF
Mr.. Meminger's request He said we could
have all the money we wanted, and l think
drew $500 to start the military arm OF the
Confederate government. When Mr. Deys,
the emergency Secretary of War; returned, l
told him that if he would 90 and purchase
such provisions as his army re-
quired, and provide it with the
necessary quarters, he could draw upon the
Treasury Department for the money to pay
the bills. He went away, soon bad the troops
in suitable quarters and fed. Captain George
w. Lee commanded the first company TO re-
port for duty TO the Confederacy, and it was
from Dekalb county. This organization
made the first draft on the Confederate treas
ury
This is but sample of the curious Incl
dents | might tell you One of the first press
ing necessities of the Treasury Department
was an official seal. When we came to look
about for an engraver, we could not find
man in the Confederacy that could engrave
on STEEL and only one or two that cut on
stone. After vexatous search, we were
obliged to have one cut on wood.
1t was a rude affair, indeed, but
it answered the purpose. The first official
paper it was used upon was the ships regis
ter of the cruiser Alabama. The hunt for
an engraver was but the type OF numberless
troubles Every fresh demand that was
ma -e upon US developed the fact that we
had depended upon the North for almost
everything produced by skilled labor. To
the last we had no end of trouble in secur-
ing men who could even indifferently per-
form the duty required of them. Our peo-
pie did remarkably we'll, however, under the
circumstances, ana it was not long before
we, in measure, overcame the difficulties
and had the government in fair running
order. I stayed with Mr. Meminger until the
government moved to Richmond, and then
went into the army"