New-York daily tribune., 1862-10-13
SEJM ARKANSAS.
Correspondence Of The II. Y. Tribuns.
STEAMER GLADIATOR, Tar PROM
NrvpU4s q

Uayin" rccentv returned from trip 20 Helena,
send THE IRIBUsE the result Of my observations
while there upon The condition Of tie Army q '"'
Southwest. together with an account O! various
transactions that are demoralizing That army ans.
preventing It from accomplishing anything toward
the restoration OF Federal authority IN me 0''V,'
where Il was in ended 10 operate. As 10 'He 'oi"-
ton OF The army i,-ef, there Is gool ooRIee q
heath among The troops, aud no epidemic GISetse'
but there is a want Of that thorough di'cp"ne ah4
military fpr., whieh cOrst tute The force &na loWef
oi . grea! army.
One Of ibe causes Of the want Of discipline en-
erey and military spint in the Amy Of tho South
West is the mania fyT cotton epecuiaons which Las
seized upoa the officers Of tbs army, from the Cen
erals down to the Quartermasters aud Lieutenants
O. the service. B.site these, there are many
cyi,i.ns 1T Helena engaged n these speculations-
Coron that is worth SD bale in S. Louis Is
either taken from the owners wi5out conn fensaiion,
or at from 50 to so BALE for leo miles above
and below Helena. Steambous, under Govern
rlent contract, sent expeditions IL search oI
cotton with military force, provided with wagons
for laalins it, but all tho cotton obtained gees TO
enrich officers or spccuetors aud very little. =! any
OF it, IL placed 10 the cIedit or thc Gov .iineAt.
Such is tie statement ot Intelligent men, the nsclves
ENGAGED in the bnsiuess Thesoldisrs are somc.iuei
killed and wounded in these eNyecrioGs ana are
Oesiuripg to complain Of beng used iOf sucl pur
nosc instead c sGbduiug tie iebe~ TO tie authority
of the G4y,rnI.cat III they believed the cotton
went 10 ihe benefit Of the Government they would
10; object.
Nneh ot the cotton Obtained in this way l.
slipped 1v officers for their Oya benefit, AMI Quar-
terfastor. furnish teams and transportation Tor
much lhat ihey are personally interested in, Or
for which they have receive private cmdler-
alton. Occasionally some iunoccht purt hekcr h
pouIced uuon ly military authority, and h-d co.lln
sei1,d aad connscatec teoaUse be had not complied
with souio unknown military Order and the cotton
is shpped oil, osiensby i'll tie name OF the Govern
ment, though j is very mach doubted whether Tire
Cover iaeut receives celt OF the proceeds. IL
woad be well worth while that an invcsti cation
should be made into there transactions, and the
auiOu OF 81 the cotton taken on this riyer ascsr-
tanej aud how much OF u hls been !ated 10 the
account Of the Government, which has, at great
cost, opened lie hlslsapll tiver, ana 10 How
tbrOegl Cltcers, furnishing these facilities for
private speculation, wIthont receiving particle OF
lcnCh; from 10.
Tie soic.ong s,.cments are intended TO be gen
eral u,d are based upon the representations OF
intelligent and trustworthy persons known 10 the
writer |, !. not meant that there are not some
honorable eAcepio among commanders OF ree-
uents aud the subordinate officers. One such /
know who is neither q cotton specilGtor, a drunk
ard, no- aduigorer and whose merits ought o
have secured hs promotion TO 5rSadler-genergl-
saip long but be Is not one ot the seii-seehng
kind OF men, and the Government az Washington
mSy never know the true worth ard superior ability
OF one wAo would gladly serve II with bis hearts
blood | have heard no accusations against Gen. {.
C.. Washburre in regard 20 these cotton specrlstons
Gen. OsteThaus. two ot OR nODlest officers, aud
the former of whom, the Commander OF the Poe.
Of Helena. has gwen all bis authority against con-
trsband trade in liquors, and the opening Of dram
shops.
Since Gen. Steele has assumed command rev,
policy has been adopted toward the negroes now
within cur hines AID taat Of Gen. Cutis has been
entirely set aside Even the - papers which Gar.
rxtt. h.A rnff.A lsf..a 49,. ~.,.rIgl
cared more than blank paper, and slave claim
ants are permitted " matqry orfer, 10 search tue
camps for their slaves, and o. pointing them tho
slaves have been seized, placed IN wagons, and car
rled beyond the lines IN tie direction Indicted tv
the siuvehOlder and II bis company, by military
guard st tie order OF Grn. Steele.
OHly few Gays a-O q woman was dragged out
OF the camp of tie "a Wisconsin Cavalry al the i1
stance Of flaveholder. aud delivered up To- ln al
the order Of Tie new Military Governor OF Arharsas
John 5. Phelps OF Missouri, WHO, in tLis matter
acts 10 cooperation with Gen. Sc ee. II T. s4ld lHai
Gen. L. l.. dcVey recently lte Drsaclcf-G enc
raj ndcrses tls policy, aus that bis councils are
listened 20 by Gen. Steele with much favor Gen.
Hoyey was an A"Ii-Sleyery man IN Illinois, ana
Colonel Cf the Normal Regiment, 33i Illinois ILL.,
faatry, but III linking bis fortunes with Gen. Steele
IN tins matter lie has switcbes stf of the old Repub-
hean trac& q q llsesi himself 10 g. 6sitios 70 i
policy 6. tho Government At Washington, aEl tLo
eXpressed wHl of the nation in the Con1 alton Act,
.Jcse gentlemen are, OF cOurse, ldlly aware that
they are violating tie law q Congress both IN the
letter and The spirit. These colored people, row
within lines declared " 0LsDiufsID end fYr-
Ger free oftter serDilnee," and 10 is added "toH
eot 0g0Sa b. tsld as sicres." Ard further than
thisItis declared that "a2 ger59n cAgaeed sn ne
a90Gi 0r military serCice of tic United Stats shQH
UNDER AM fkrESsE Whatever, assume 10 declde
te cQt.d6E ~ ne cfn y c1y DcrSOH u the scYricc
or to6or Of ing other per,oa, OR sURREEDER uP
AEi SUCH PERSON 10 ThE CLAIMANT, OK PAIE OF
Et4N1 DISMISSED TAOA TIE sERyICE.'
Gen. Nas,buine had established IN Ethiopean
camp tor the women and children Of men epgac.d M
WORK o. ihe Qualifications, and provided them wIh
ritlOns; but his course Is understood 20 be dsap-
proved by Gen. Steele, who has inauzurated hi,
policy OF eclting all tne women aud Children back
80 their mss'ers, whether iOyalists or rebels Rebel
clIiman's have already been allowed and aided %
take their slaves and his course is 70 DO pursued till
al u tl's Gloss are QispOseG Of.
IS ts place Is being fortified, and is 10 be held ~
military post, there is OF course plea Of military
.-eoessity ior this proceeding Many Of tie women
D.tiin ggT lines are quite as Cseful as cooks and
ianndIoe,.g as the as iabOrcrs on the i0rth
ca'iCrs, gd as teGllseIs and % thrust them back
into slavery aud keep their husbands, because they
ere regarded more useful to the army is reaching
tie climax OF seishneas snd inhumaDity.
will be remembered that several years ago An ind
vidualof above name n.uroe ed school, eacaern
the city Of Loui-viilc ky Mr.. Butlcr-ior having
punished bic younger brother in school, lie tried
tor the cIiuc, AMI Ly the influence OF wealthy
nections bribery ami packed Jniy and the s0plis-
tfies Vi the now aged senator Cfit,enden, he WAS
acquitted But the storm Of public opinion r. ced 80
strongly against Lin, that ho lett LOusyile aud
wers 20 Arsansas.
For several years be hes been residing near Old
Town, on hIs plantation, and il is said has teen in
poor health, ana lived an humble lie evidently /
xelYI % ~ g.ftfn f... -.