The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 19, July 1915 - April, 1916 Page: 235
452 p. : maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Problems of Confederate Postoffire Department
had the same control over post office funds as the secretary of
the treasury had over other public moneys. How could he hold
over $68,000 in specie belonging to the post office department, and
then ask that department to pay over $145,500 for $50,000 in
specie, needed to keep the post office going? As for the "defi-
ciencies," these had been appropriated and provided for before the
post office department ever drew a dollar of warrants, because,
they were provided to fill up estimated deficiencies before a dollar
had been spent. The actual money of the first "deficiency" ap-
propriation was paid into the treasury five days before the first
warrant was issued. The books of the auditor showed that in-
stead of being overdrawn $944.01 on September 30, 1861, the
department had in the treasury and its branches subject to war-
rant $314,651.89, and ever since, larger sums.
If, as suggested by the Secretary [said Mr. Reagan] the only
coin now in the Treasury is that taken from the Bank of Louisiana,
then there has been an unlawful use made of the specie belonging
to this Department, and it is his duty to replace it out of any
other specie in the Treasury.
Resting on the legal right of this Department, it is not neces-
sary that I should raise any question with the Secretary about the
propriety of his undertaking to decide on his own authority as
to the relative necessities of the different Departments and their
right to use the specie in the Treasury.
As to the material facts of this case, there need be no con-
troversy. They can all be settled by the records. The law of the
case has already been stated by the Attorney General. And I must
say with all due respect, that this seems to me to be simply a con-
test as to whether the will of the Secretary of the Treasury or the
law of the land and the plain rules of right shall prevail.7
Mr. Reagan says in his Memoirs that he expressed the hope
that the treasurer's action "would render it unnecessary for me
to report him to the President for removal from office." And he
dismisses the matter thus: "Mr. Elmore said he knew then what
to do and paid over the $50,000 in coin."8 Apparently nothing
could better illustrate the Confederacy's financial demoralization,
or the lack of harmony existing in its highest official circles.
'Letter Book, I, 750-756.
8Reagan's Memoirs, 159.235
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 19, July 1915 - April, 1916, periodical, 1916; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101067/m1/256/: accessed May 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.