President Lincoln and Treasury Department Issue

President Lincoln and Treasury Department Issue Instructions on Trade with the South

In the spring of 1863, Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase published regulations to govern "internal and coastwise intercourse" with areas of states then in rebellion. This pamphlet included regulations issued by Chase, General Orders No. 88 issued by Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton on March 31, 1863, orders from Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles on March 31, 1863, three acts of Congress, and a proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln from April 2, 1863 [dated March 31 in this publication]. All dealt with the issue of trade with areas in the insurrectionary states.

Throughout the Civil War, Lincoln and the Treasury Department had to maintain a delicate balance between trade that would encourage and strengthen Unionist elements in areas occupied by Union forces in the South and trade that would benefit the Confederacy. It carefully monitored the sale of cotton to prevent such sales from providing the rebellious areas with much-needed gold and silver, while it also licensed northern merchants to buy and sell in war-ravaged areas under Union control.

[ABRAHAM LINCOLN.] Printed Proclamation, April 2, 1863, in Printed Pamphlet, "Regulations Prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, concerning Internal and Coastwise Intercourse...and the Proclamation of the President," Washington, 1863. 18 pp., 5.75" x 9". Includes handwritten note on cover, "Received April 28, 1863. / C. Almy, Collr." Bound on left with string; pinholes in left margin from additional binding; very good.

Excerpts
Lincoln proclamation, April 2, 1863
"And whereas, experience has shown that the exceptions made in and by said Proclamation embarrass the due enforcement of said Act of July 13, 1861, and the proper regulation of the commercial intercourse authorized by said Act with the loyal citizens of said States:
"Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, do hereby revoke the said exceptions, and declare that the inhabitants of the States of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Florida and Virginia (except the forty-eight counties of Virginia designated as West Virginia, and except, also, the ports of New Orleans, Key West, Port Royal and Beaufort in North Carolina) are in a state of insurrection against the United States, and that all commercial intercourse not licensed and conducted as provided in said Act between the said States and the inhabitants thereof, with the exceptions aforesaid, and the citizens of other States and other parts of the United States, is unlawful and will remain unlawful until such insurrection shall cease or has been suppressed, and notice thereof has been duly given by Proclamation; and all cotton, tobacco and other products, and all other goods and chattels, wares and merchandise, coming from any of said States, with the exceptions aforesaid, into other parts of the United States, or proceeding to any of said States, with the exceptions aforesaid, without the license and permission of the President, through the Secretary of the Treasury, will, together with the vessel or vehicle conveying the same, be forfeited to the United States."

Chase letter, March 31, 1863
"The President of the United States, in pursuance of the act of Congress approved July 31, 1861...having declared that the inhabitants of the States of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Florida, and Virginia, except the forty-eight counties of Virginia designated as West Virginia, and except the ports of New Orleans, Key West, Port Royal and Beaufort, in North Carolina, are in insurrection against the United States, and that all commercial intercourse between the same and the inhabitants thereof, except as aforesaid, and the citizens of other States and other parts of the United States is unlawful, except as licensed and permitted by the President, and conducted under the regulations of the Secretary of the Treasury, as provided by said act:
"Now, therefore, for the purpose of securing the due execution of the said act...and for the purpose of safely and properly conducting such commercial intercourse as may be licensed and permitted by the President, pursuant to the provisions of said acts, and also for the purpose of preventing the conveyance of arms and other munitions of war and supplies to persons in insurrection against the United States, the following regulations are hereby prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury...."

Salmon P. Chase (1808-1873) was born in New Hampshire and studied law before establishing a law practice in Cincinnati, Ohio. He frequently defended fugitive slaves in court. He left the Whig Party for the Liberty Party in 1841 and helped create the Free Soil Party in 1848. He represented Ohio in the U.S. Senate from 1849 to 1855 and served as Governor of Ohio from 1856 to 1860. Abraham Lincoln appointed Chase as his first Secretary of the Treasury, a position he held from 1861 to mid-1864. In December 1864, Lincoln nominated Chase as Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, a position he held until his death.

Charles Almy (1819-1886) was born in Rhode Island and began teaching school at age 17. He later opened a country store but soon moved to Boston, where he became an auction and commission merchant. He participated in the business of whaling in New Bedford, Massachusetts, until the Civil War. He served as Collector of Customs at Fall River, Massachusetts, from 1861 to 1865. He joined the insurance business in 1864 and continued in that work until his death. Originally a Democrat, he became a Free Soiler in 1848 and then a Republican. In 1880, 1881, and 1882, he was the Prohibition Party candidate for governor.

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