Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-11-05

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as q 2. LANb. of Frurs
laG RnEEEr r HORT # Madison
fsa JOSEPH x AOSBf, of f4ysue.
DANGER IN APATEY--THR NECEs-
SIFY OF ACTION.
More danger is 20 be apprehendod in the South
AZ the present time from That peculiar apathy OF
uational spirit that is engendered by continued
success upon the battle field than from any other
source Whatever. The popular mind, fed TO pie
tHarie hlllness upon newspaper eNaggerations OF
EXHIBITS achieved by southern yalor-many OF
them utterly mythological-s TOO apt TO hold the
enemy IN contemptuons defiance, depTeciating
his power. bis resources, and his capacity TO in
aict injury, and soon becoming intoxicated with
uinmnh as one who feeds on be insane root
that doth take the reason prisoner Nothing
will so speedily emasculate the energy Of our
people, and destroy their national vigor, as be-
coming victims 10 this vainglOrious feeling
Nos, while the eagles of victory, proudly perch
ing upon oar standard, haughuly look down
upon a vanquished foe beaten back ia every i'm
potant battle fought since the commencement
ofihs campaign, more, perhaps, than at any other
time we should brace ourselves 20 meet the onset
Of a reckless and adventurous brood Of fanatics,
who approach TO strike Us with the malignant
venom Of the adder.
Along our sea-coasts the people are aocking
spontaneously to arms, fully conscious OF the
danger that threatens their fresides. The recent
sailing OF the great naval expedition from Hamp-
ton Roads has awakened the war spirit 10 the high
est pitch, and the sound OF the drum daily calls the
merchant the mechanic and the farmer, from the
counting room, the work shop and the field, to
the duties of the military drll. But are we
along the border sufficiently awake to the crisis ?
Do our people appreciate the true situation Of
affairs, disrobed Of the ~prismatic hues thrown
upon them by the southern press9 Without be-
ing an alarmist, we deem it prudent to ask if
these questions-apparentIy strange to some per-
haps-can be answered with a satisfactory
affirmative.
Amiauny officer Of distinction suggests TO US
thas there ave not less thar five thousand able
bodied men within cannon shot Of Court Square
in this city, who are as utterly innocent Of drill
or Of that discipline necessary TO render them
soldiers fit for service, as they were twelve
months ago. Does this careless brigade ever
pause in the regular routine Of business TO reflect
upon the fact that within the last thirty days
more than sixty thousand Of the enemy have
crossed the Ohio nver with On to Memphis -
as their watchword2 l. Memphis or even Nash
vile less threatened at this moment than New
Orleans or Mobile In the latter cities every
man from fifteen to seventy years Of age has
become a drilled soldier. Their whole male pop
Ulaton, indeed, capable of bearing a mus
ket, reIinquish their civil occupations every day
three hours before sunset and resolve themselves
into an army. The same motive-a determine
ton 20 be prepared for danger come whence ii
wil-hould prompt every true Tennesseean TO
he ready. The present aspect Of matters upon
cur northern border, from the Valley Of the Ka-
nawha, in Western Virginia, 10 the wild p~rairies
Of Southern Kansas, though il may not alarm, is |
certainly ealealat-i to arouse as. Il VIII not
ayeil % conceal the truth, or even 70 emulatet the
doubtful wisdom Of the ostrich by sticking our
heads in the sand, and thus reposing in fancied
security, refuse TO confront unwelcome facts that
sooner or later must be known.
The enemy is encroaehing gradually upon Onr
northern frontier. As the heavy fros,s Of autumn
come ike harbiugers Of approaching winter,
and the bleak winds howl dismally through his
csuVasicuts. De desires more eagerly TO push
forward his lines into the sunny South. i has
eve been favori5r feature of this war, in the
calculations Of LINCOLN, that his army should
penetrate the South this fall and 90 into winter
quarters in some one OF our large commercial en-
poriums Accordingly we nov end an army Of
more than thirty thousand effective men under
Gen. R0ssEAU, e~nsampe5 on Green river within
less than Gty miles Of the Tennessee border
Fremont has marched an army OF forty thou
sand men, well armed and equipped, some two
hundred miles into Southwestern Missouri, and
now holds Springfield, which IS for;y-fve miles
from the frontier tine Of Arkansas. Gen. PRICE
with a reduced force Of fifteen thousand men at
Neosho, some seventy miles only from FIRE.
MONT's camp, aud NCCULUOCH, with his four
or FIVE thousand at Bentonyille, viii thus be
compelled TO accept the wager of battle ifofered.
undrr very great disadvantage.
In the meanwhile, Gen. JEFF. THOMPSON,
overwhelmed with numbers at Frelericktown,
has been forced 20 retreat South. below Green
vile. with a smsll command. not over two thou
sand strong, and is now threatened by a Federal
force almost q~uadupling his own in numbers.
Gen. Z~oLIIcoFFER, 700. il seems, since the
late affair at Rockcastie, Ky, has taken to the
" craw6sh drll % and has fallen back to Cum
berland Ford, a very prudent and necessary
move in view OF the spprehended advance Of
ROsESCRANz from Western Virginia into East
EN- Kentucky. As predicted by MS more than
thirty days ago, he will ye, be compelled to re-
treat stll farther and make a stand at Cumber-
land Gap. ID
With the situation as stated, our duty is no d
longer TO be questioned. Hs need meu-at a
home and in the field, ready for any possible /
emergency. Tennessee and Arkansas particu-
larlv, whose borders are threatened with iuya-
sion, should respond with ~alacrity to the calls
that have been made upon them. Our State .
now has foTtythree regiments in service. Hi
uois has furnished sirH and so ought Tonnes
see. II she would preserve her proud prestige as
the Volunteer State. We repeat that the male {
population of this city and OF Nashville, in ev- !
cry department Of business, should be subjected {
10 daily drill as in the cities along the coast.
The crisis is assuming a character that demands
preparations AMI vigorous action, and it
j. useless TO skulk the responsibility de-
v,'ying upon rs as a community whose duty iii
N assist in meeting it as becomes men, A Ro-
man Senator once startled the Conscript Fathers
n rbe Capitoline HiH by exhibiting to them fresh
los from Africa. Memphis is much nearer the
INNS and Gotls who have sworn Redistribution
han Carthage was to Rome The vital ques
70 us is not that of the embargo upon corn
and wheat from certain boundaries, which seems
d so eneross the public attention. 1t IS one Of
yreater moment, involving the defense OF or
III from invasion by the enemy. Let as see
o H.
~ Russell. the correspondent OF tue Lonaon
ru,s. ia said to receive q salary Of twenty-five
,oussnd dollars as a compensation for the false :
.,.s. he writes rom this Country 20 that Journal !