Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-03-21
To the General. ID lhe C%onfedernl

To the Generals Of the Confederate Army.
GENTLEMEN At a convention of editors, held
at Atlanta, Georgia, on the i2th and 18th days
Of March, 1862, the following resolutions were
unanimously adopted
WHEREAS, General Joseph T.. Johnston, com
mander in-chief Of the army of the Potomac has
promulgated an order e~xpelibg all professional
newspaper correspondents from said army; and
whereas, II is a matter Of the highest Importance
to the press and the people of the South, that
they should be duly represented in the army, and
furnished with all intelligence not prejudiclaI to
the cause or to the policy Of the campaign +;
therefore, be it
Resoired, That a committee Of three be an
pointed to draft ana submit an address, to the
! generals Of the Confederate army everywhere,
expressive of the desire of this cony ention, and
respectfully requesting Gen. Johnston, or any
otheE commanding general who may have pro
mulgated such an order, 70 reconsider his or
their action with relation to thu professional
newsps orc correspondent, and 70 afford all proper
facilities for publishing such information as a
prudent and truthful correspondent would
select.
EssOiDsd, That We acquiesce in the necessity
Of surrounding 2 correspondent with such Re.
s~trictious as shall hold him personally respons5
bic for any breach Of confidence or courtesy of
which he may be guilty.
IN accordance with the above resolutions, the
undersigned being the COMMITTEES duly appointed
by the convention, respectfully rubmit to your
consideration, the following remarks:
At no time in she history Of this country has
public sentimen. been more fully nodded or
d rected by the press than during the present
revolution. From the beginning, when TIM
question was laid before the people in its crude
bearings, until now, when IL has assumed the
shape and consistency Of q great fact, the press
has been the principal lever thai has moved he
popular heart, influenced the deliberations Of the
country, decided popular action, and led to the
iervent responses which have been made with
men and mems to the call Of the general govern
meEt. As an important element ia the couducf
o. o%afiouel affairs, therefore, we respectful 81 sub
mit that the press ought properly to be represent
ed in the armies which IL has assisted t~O'creste.
Again, thousands Of people at come have no
other medium Of knowledge ccnceInlug thei
relatives or Eiepdsin the army, especially during
an active campaign except the daily newspaper
When a battle IS fought, many days frequently
elapse before the official report gives 10 the world
the names Of the killed and wounded, and in
the meanwhile the hearts Of fathers, mothers.
wives and sisters are tortured With suspense.
Upon the score Of humanity, therefore. we ask
the privilege Of admission to the army of profes-
sIonal gentlemen, who will be amensble to tn
commanding officer, and who may promptly
mako public All Interesting events connected
with military affairs.
Again a proper knowledge Of the operations
incident to an army, published, tends to consol-
idate public opinion. This is emphaticslly the
peoples war, and they rightly feel it is only JUS
tice that they should be permitted to share with
the government ali intelligence that can be made
known consistently with the military necessities
Of the campaign.
Finally the exclusion Of professional news
paper correspondents from military lines has pro
duced the very evil the measure was Intended to
counteTsct. A host of writers, irresponsible, ig-
nOrsnt of general affairs beyond their W. camps.
imprudent and u~nacqusinted with the art ofpre-
pairing subjects for publication, have sprung into
and flooded the country with error,
which has been productive of the most bsneful
results. Remove this bsn, restore the privilege
which previously existed, and this growing evil
will be Temedied at once.
The press fully coincide in the necessity of
surrounding an army correspondent with such
as shall make him personally respOn-
sible for any epistOlsFy misdemeanor Of which
he may be guilty. /. Is not desired to take sd-
vantage Of important information in his posses
sion the relation Of which may prove prejudicial
to the policy Of a general and on the other
hand, no gentleman will be permitted 10 repre-
sent a newspaper in such capacity, who is not
prudent and intelligent enough to be
guided by a sense Of military propriety. II,
however, he should be discovered a transgres-
sor; let the individual and not tho mass, suffer.
These are the news briefly expressed and en-
by the Convention, and for them we
respectfully ask your favorable consideration.
l. is not designed to make al argument on the
bnt simply to state reasons why the
press, ike that Of France and Eng-
land in all European campaigns, should be fair
ly and faithfully represented IN the army through
out the present war.
C.. G. D~RFONTAINE,
J. K. SNEED SCon,mittes