Captain Scanlan’s statement is written very fairly and courteously, and I
hope that as other parties have been allowed apparently to ship their
entire crop to New York, the same favor may be extended to the present
applicant.
I beg to enclose copies of contract with freedmen through the United
States superintendent at Memphis, requesting you to return them to
me.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most
obedient, humble servant,
Hon. William H. Seward,
&c., &c., &c.
Mr. Scanlan to Mr. Burnley
Willards’ Hotel, Washington, D. C.,
February 3, 1865.
Sir: With reference to my application to
Lord Lyons of the 28th of October, 1864, I beg respectfully to
submit that the order of the Secretary of the Treasury of the United
States has been complied with, only in permitting me to ship my crop
of cotton to Memphis, to await further action, as has been stated in
the permit of Mr. Orme, which I have shown you already, and a copy
of which I enclose.
He construes the Secretary’s letter as only waiving the clause in the
affidavit heretofore referred to, but still not granting what I
asked, and what he favorably recommended in his letter of October to
the Secretary of the Treasury. He permitted me to ship 24 bales of
this cotton to Hew York, but refused to permit the balance, until
the Secretary of the Treasury gives a more categorical answer to my
application of last October, he being of opinion that the Secretary
would require that the lands should be also leased from the
government.
I have no doubt but the Secretary of the Treasury intended in his
letter of the 14th of November that I should be permitted to ship
this cotton to market.
As stated in my letter to Lord Lyons, my plantation is eighteen miles
below Memphis, on
[Page 66]
the hanks
of the Mississippi river, and under cover of the guns of the United
States navy. Were it not regarded by the military authorities as
inside their lines, they would not permit me to take contrabands or
freedmen from Memphis to said plantation.
I have been highly recommended by the military commanders of that
department, and my case has been favorably referred to the
supervising agent, Mr. Orme, who had before him the proofs that this
cotton was raised by freedmen’s labor, and that every action of mine
in the premises was strictly in conformity with the regulations of
the treasury and in earnest furtherance of the policy of the
government as set forth in the emancipation proclamation of his
excellency the President of the United States; I therefore ask that
I be permitted to ship this cotton to New York, without further
hindrance or embarrassment, as the delay already incurred has
materially lessened its value.
Some neighboring planters who did not even hire their labor from the
superintendent of freedmen have been permitted to ship their entire
crop to New York, and I am, therefore, satisfied that when this is
made known to the heads of departments here, they will exhibit in
this case their usual fairness and magnanimity, and I regret that I
am obliged to give them further trouble.
I respectfully request the favor of an answer at your earliest
convenience, directed to the care of Messrs. Walker & Scanlan,
224 F street.
With sincere thanks for your kindness, I have the honor, sir, to be,
with great respect,
P. S.—I beg to enclose copies of contracts with freedmen through
the United States superintendent at Memphis.
Respectfully,
[Enclosure.]
Treasury Department, Second
Agency,
Memphis, Tennessee,
December 29,
1864,
W. E. Scanlan, a British subject, is hereby permitted to remove
his crop of cotton, produced during the year 1864, from
Scanlan’s landing, eighteen miles below Memphis, to Memphis to
be stored, and reported at this office for further action.
This is a case in which I am acting on special instructions from
the Secretary of the Treasury, and I recommend the military
authorities to give such passes as may be necessary in the
case.
W. W. ORME, Supervising Special
Agent.
[Enclosure.]
This contract, made this 12th day of March, 1864, between Captain
W. E. Scanlan, employer, and George Hall, Henry Cole, Anderson
Manney, Paul McMillar, Greenville McMillar, Peter White, Jim
Rogers, Bill Sykes, Arch. Gerring, William Noval, Ephraim
Dennings, George Washington, freed laborers, witnesseth, that
said W. E. Scanlan agrees to employ said laborers on his
plantation from the 12th day of March, 1864, to the 12th day of
March, 1865, on the terms specified in the code of rules and
regulations for leasing abandoned property and hiring freedmen;
and the said laborers agree to be diligent and faithful hands
while in his employ, it being understood and agreed that this
contract is subject to the provisions of said code by which all
parties hereto agree to be governed.
W. E.SCANLAN.
GEORGE HALL.
HENRY COLE.
ANDERSON MANNEY.
PAUL McMILLAR.
GREENVILLE McMILLAR.
JIM ROGERS.
PETER WHITE.
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
BILL SYKES.
ARCH. GERRING.
WILLIAM NOVAL.
EPHRAIM DENNINGS,
In the presence of— R. D. BUD.
[Page 67]
[Enclosure.]
This contract, made this 8th day of March, 1864, between W. E.
Scanlan, employer, and Margaret Ingram, Charley Grear, Anna
Gibbs and children, Clara Gibbs, Mira Gibbs, Rachel Gibbs, Susan
Banks and child, Jane Hicks, Milly Tucker, Amanda Taylor, Ned
Norris, Frances Julligan and child, Nancy Johnson and child,
Abby Nance, Laura Hodge, Coledona Malone, Catharine Malone, Emma
Holmes, Elijah Potts, freed laborers, witnessethf that said W.
E. Scanlan agrees to employ said laborers on his plantation from
the 8th day o, March, 1864, to the —— day of——, 1864, on the
terms prescribed in the code of rules and regulations for
leasing abandoned property and hiring freedmen; and the said
laborers agree to be diligent and faithful hands while in his
employ, it being understood and agreed that this contract is
subject to the provisions of said code by which all parties
hereto agree to be governed.
W. E. SCANLAN.
SUSAN BANKS and child.
MILLY TUCKER.
JANE HICKS.
MAEGARET INGRAHAM.
CHARLEY GREAR.
ANNA GIBBS and children.
LAURA GIBBS.
MARIA GIBBS.
RACHEL GIBBS.
AMANDA TAYLOR.
HENEY TAYLOE, Maryland.
NED NORRIS.
COLEDONA MALONE.
FRANCES JULLIGAN and child.
ABBY NANCE.
LAURA HODGE.
CATHARINE MALONE.
EMMA HOLMES.
ELIJAH POTTS.
JOHN LEWIS MALONE, Junistown, Tenn.
NANCY JOHNSON and child.
TILDA JOHNSON.
HENRY NANCE. Rolly Spring, near Huntsville,
Alabama.
In presence of—
John Phillips, Lieutenant Colonel,
Acting Sup’t Freedmen, West Tennessee.
November, 1864.
Permission is given to convey and land the within named employés
as per the permits and documents accompanying this,
J. N. SIMONDS, Inspector of Customs
and Clearance Office for the Port of
Memphis.
