Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-11-29
LRrrER FRom RGUamoND.
Special Correspondence Of the Memphis Appeal
RICHMOND. November 90, 1862.

@Ea
Virginia was entitled to be represented in the
Cabinet, and no man enjoys more fully the con-
fdenee of Virginia that Mr.. Seldom. He is a
civilian, ii is true, without experience in setting
s1ua5rons in the field, and not much more than
a spinstor's knowle3gs Of the divisions of battle
bat be has two super.exeellens gu ,liGeaions-
I wisdom and virtue. He is a man Of sound sense,
experience in affairs, and highly cultivated
mind, and he is a man of ~incorruptble integrity.
His console t~iousness is, indeed, SO large that be
could not be prevailed upon to accept any posi-
tonin which be did not honestly belieyehe would
be useful. More than this, bis stake in the issue
of our struggle is as great as that of any indi-
vidual citizen of the Confederacy. There are
but two causes of apprehension as to the sue
cessful conduct Of the War Department under
his management, the one, that his health, never
robust, may give way RHder the immense labors
Of the office, and the other, that dis frmness
and independence may bring him into collision
with the generally accepted imperious temper Of
the President. Let US hope for the best. Mr.
Sedden aecedes to Office at a most critical condi-
ton Of the State. If he can so carry on the ope-
ratons of the war, in the msrshaling and sup
ply Of cur troops, and in secondingIthe Efforts Of
our generals, as to ensure F." q speedy and hoaora-
be peace,' be viii secure a lasting fame. He
enters upon his duties on Saturday next
The death OF William Ballard Preston de-
prives the Commonwealth and the country of q
valuable public servant, and creates e vacancy
in the Confederate Senate for which there viii
be q contention of q very animated kind in the
next session Of the Virginia legislature. Gen.
Randolph would be formidable candidate, but
for the sectional rule that has been established
in our State politics. The successor of Mr.
Preston must be as he was, from be ond the
Blue Ridge. There viii be no lack of COMPETE
tors, however, from that region. Another Office
Ito become vacant by the expiration Of the term
Of service of the present incumbent at the end
of the year 1868, and for which the election will
be held next May)-thst of governor-already
begins to occupy the attention Of the politicians.
A whole crop of sspirants has sprung up since
the war, and these added to the old "stoek COM
pany'' of available candidates, make q perplex-
ing problem of the question of Gov. Let9 er's
successor. Much of the time Of the z heIal
assembly win be consumed during the ginning
winter in settling the conflicting claims Of these
gentlemen. Gen. VIM. Smith, of Fauquier,
otherwise known as 9 Extra Billy . it IS ssid,
viii be a candidate on bis own responsibility.
he has gathered some lauTeIs in the military
service, and the glory of Manassas viii give
him g good start of his rivals. But then there
is Gen. Pryor, excellent soldier and former
distinguished editor, Congressman and original
sscessionist, and there is Gen. KempeT, late
speaker of the house Of delegates Of Virginia,
both of whom have the nell Of powder about
them, and the prestige Of gallant 6ght to ad-
vance their clsims. In this contest, too, Gen.
Randolph, should be enter it, would be spt TO
hold any other man a hard struggle for the
prize.
The theater of war seems to have shifted to
the neighborhOod of Fredericksburg, where
Burnside is reported as being encamped with
his whole army. The Yankee batteries are
planted thickly and heavily on the Stafford hills
on the opposite aide Of the river (the Rapps-
hsnnock) commanding the town. Last Friday
there was two OF three hours exchange of com
pliments between the Abolition guns and our
artilerists, since which time nothing has
been done beyond an unsuccessful attempt Of
the enemy to ford the stream between Freder-
icksburg and Falmouth. If Burnside should
have, indeed, resolved upon this approach to
Richmond with Lis entire foTee, there viii be
q engagement near the Rappshsnnock at an
early day, possibly by the 1st Of December.
Citizens Of Fredericksburg speak with conf
dencs of the presence Of an immense army
within striking distance of each other. both
from the reports of scouts aRd d~esertsTs, and
from the -innuAerable camp fires ssen at night
from the steeples and eupolas of the town. But
I doubt. It can hardly be possible that the. new
conmsHdeT-in-chief Of the abolitionists, stalking
his military reputation upon a successful sd.
vance on Richmond, would choose the very
worst and most difficult route on the map. TIE
journey from Fredericksburg to Richmond
lies across hRlEa-dozen streams and morasses,
and along roads to which, at this season of the
year Festher-Bed Lane " was q smooth and
delightful highway. Ibdoed, before Burnside
gets here by this approach he will be apt to say,
in Tony Lumpkins' broad phrase, that it is a
id long, dark, boggy, dirty, dangerous way"
Your correspondent still believes that the Yam
KEGS WI next Try the road from Srfok, sud
that no important 81, elk Of arms viii be sdver-
tured on tie RsFpshanneek.
Since The murder of Mr.. Withheld, Of which
I wrote you in my last, the mayor of this city
has made a descent on two or three of the most
noted houses Of prostitution in the city, and bis
courtroom has been filed morning after morn
ing with groups Of the wretched inmates of
these establishments, brilliant with jewelry,
rustling in silks, and odors of miHs-fsurs
Twenty or thirty Of them, in default of giving
security for their future good behavior, now in
habit the city jail. Richmond has become the
resort, it would appear, Of all the ~disreputable
Of the Conederscy. I am glad to be
able to tell you, +" in this connection" that three
Of the g~srrosers have been sentenced to the vir-
ginis penitentisry.
Weather dark, warm, muggy and dismal, just
.he thing to make bad roads. DIXIE.
VIRGINIA oORREsPONDENCE.
L.. o o. n