The Memphis union appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1862-1862, 1862-07-30
Learned Ignorenee.

Already We have the bitter knowledge that
radical plans, threats and actions have in
creased the unity and power of the rebellion
have given Is fury and vigor, have prolonged
the war, and cost us thousands &c our brave
men.--NesO Fork Journal OF Commerce.
The editors of the Journal of Commerce
who can write admirable articles on subjects
they do understand, write some very absurd
ones on subjects they do not understand. The
senten se We have just quoted from It's columns
is fine instance of learned Ignorance 1t is
the within of man, honest enough, no doubt
who shut up in his room AMI ignorant of pla n
! facts in the world without, lays down iInpossi-
BILE theories, and draws from them preposter-
Gus conclusions. The rebellion, apart from its
innate zeal and earnestness which is the real
secret of its power, has gained strength not
from the violent and vehement opposition of
its adversaries, but from the timid, hesitating
and vscillating policy which too many of them
have pursued. Nothing is more natural than
for body OF violent men to mistake the
| lenieGcy and indulgence of their opponents
| for cowardice and this belief will ineite them
to new outrages. 1t is nos radical plans,
threats and actions" that have strengthened
and advanced the rebellion, but the unwise
substitution by Federal authorities of mild
| and persuasive measures towards prominent
| rebe $, instead of the rigid exercise of mill
and war means force and compulsion, bat our
officers unhappily forgot their true business,
and have been endeavoring most unsuccess-
! fully to win the rebels over by allowing them
! commercial privileges, by suffering them to
| trade, by protecting their slave property, by
hiring hands from them, and purchasing pro
visions from them at big prices. Instead of
destroying them, the exercise of their former
privileges as citizens we have treated them
/ -. h.A e.
| Worse than all, we have actually allowed
them to place Themselves on Ga equal footing
aoith loyal citizens, and claim the protection of
| our Consultation! The consequences of a po-
| licy so weak and meaningless have necessarily
been most disastrous. We speak of these
things, not seated in an Office FIVE hundred or
thousand miles from the scene of action, but
living ipSsthe region of the rebellion, a slave
holder ourselves, and from long acquaintance
and associated with rebels, claiming knowl-
edge of their feelings and Dispositions good
deal more accurate than those editors who
know nothing personally of the Instruction
| lists We have heard rebels assert frequently
that the Federal government was afraid to
adopt severe measures, and that it confessed its
weakness by its conduct We have known
men who have served as captains and colonies
in the rebel service, go to Federal camps to
reclaim their fugitive slaves, obtain their me-
groes, and on returning home denounce the
very officer who restored his negro as hypo-
critic and an abolitionist.
We never have known or heard of one in
stance where rebel abated his opposition to
the Government by having his slaves restored
or his property protected by Federal officers.
: And it would be very strange if such thing
were to occur. War, as We said before, is u
thing not of reason, hut physical power.
The rebels appealed to war and gave us the
challenge and our sole alternative is to fight
them and whip them if we can, not to argue
with them, or attempt to conciliate them. This
may seem barbarous to the Journal of Com
,aerce, and perhaps it is, but we must remem-
Der that all war is barbarous, and on their
heads be the sin who begun it. We will now
mention another fact, and that is, that what
are called the " conservative newspapers OF
the North, such as the Cincinnati Enquirer,
are eagerly sought after by the rebels. They
manifest singular Partially for newspapers
which preach conservatism, although We can
not see that their reasonable feelings are soft
ened in the least. It is not impossible thai
they derive a sort of encouragement from
, Northern newspapers which denounce and op-
, pose an administration which must save OF
destroy the Government And perhaps thi
encouragement may have something TO Dc
with proionging the rebellion and giving il
fury and vigor. Such at least is the belief o
a vast majority of the loyal men in the South
} | An Order Respecting Clothing for Sisl
? and Wounded Soldiers.
D WASHINGTON, July 23.-The following is
t joint resolution of Congress, approved July L
9 1862:
e ResoLued, By the Senate and Hostse of Repre-
segtGtiUes of the United States, in Congress as
!, senabIed, That the Secretary of War be author
: lied to furnish extra clothing tn all sicl
wounded and other soldiers who may hav
S lost the same by the casualties of war, undo
: such rules as the department may prescrib
= during the existence of the war.
. In pursuance of the foregoing resolution,
e is ordered that the Quartermaster's Depar
:, ment shall issue, upon the requisition of th
# medical officer in charge of the hospital {
| depot of sick and wounded soldiers, such regl
lation clothing as may be requisite to replaC
+ that lost by them by the casualties of wa
It The necessity of the Issue to be certified by II
l. surgeon, and the requisition to be approved
b the medical director or medical inspector
y the State. Such issue to be gratuitous ar
not charged to the soldiers. The Quarterma
ter General will issue blank acquisitions to
furnished to the various hospitals on their a.
plicati)n E., M STANTON