DEAR SIR: . . . The
reason I am particular about this (payment) is that I sent the order for
clothing through a friend of mine in New York to the most responsible
clothiers, utter strangers to me, and directed him to guarantee payment on the
receipt of the goods. I know that New Yorkers are punctilious on such points,
and when this bill is paid our credit must stand on its own bottom. It would be
better to have clothing come from New Orleans, but as you remarked an order
sent to New Orleans would be sent to New York and we might as well do that
ourselves.
On the supposition
that the first bill of books will be paid I will send them the measures of
our un-uniformed cadets and limit our efforts at uniform and military instruction
to that number.
I went to town this
morning and put into the hands of the printer, a circular letter,1
embodying the resolution of the Board with other parts by myself which
substantially covers the points of your letter. These circular letters will be
ready Thursday and mailed by me in town. I have a list of parishes and will
prepare the envelopes before I go in. I think I had better withhold such
circular letters from the police juries to which I have already written, urging
them to confirm the appointees by Governor Wickliffe now here, lest it produce
confusion.
Madame Delahoussaye
has already sent the enclosed paper, which, though informal, evidently is a
committal on the part of the members of the police jury of St. Mary's. I think
I must consider him [her son] as a beneficiary till the Board act. I will write
to her to get the Board formally to vote in June for her son, to have the
resolution authenticated by president and secretary and their signatures
certified by the parish clerk under seal.
If the session be as
now fixed, and I don't wish to disturb it, we will need summer clothing — white
jackets, vests, and pants with straw hats would be neat and becoming, but a
well fitting unbleached linen sack would be better, and more appropriate, but not
as becoming. Still I will not presume to order anything more without positive
approval beforehand of the Board of Supervisors. I do think that part of the
cadets' money, not specially set apart for tuition, board, washing, and medical
attendance should be absolutely under my control, and a margin left over for a
surplus which we must have on hand. I see Colonel Smith2 has on hand
eight thousand dollars of stores, and he is within two or three days of a
market whereas we are months off.
I think I had better
wait till after your meeting of the 28th, before I estimate for funds needed to
carry them through August, but I will see that all know the present resolution
that they may write home about it. Robertson assailed me furiously about it in
town to-day, and I had to ward off his blow by telling him that the matter was
absolutely beyond my control, and the act of his own townsmen. I shall expect
you out with the ladies on Saturday.
_______________
1 See page 206. - Ed.
2 Of the Virginia Military Institute. - Ed.
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