The southern aegis, and Harford County intelligencer. (Bel Air, Md.) 1862-1864, 1863-06-12
THECoNDUCT OF THE WAR.
Curious aud Sarcastic Letter Of Emerson
Etheridge. 81
- WASHINGTON, MAY IL, 1858. Il

" v
Memphis, ITO jgisiu p public celsbraion'
ofthe Anniversary Of thesurrendeF Of that
city to the Federal arms. You also speak
kindly of my past efforts to induce the
people of West Tennessee, to consent
cheerfuily' to s'the restoration Of the ma
tional authority throughout the South"
If I believed that by meeting you on
the occasion referred to, Icodld be Of SER
vice to a single honest, law abiding citizen,
or truly repentant rebel, or that [ could
contribute TO theyleast extent in ending
the war and restoring the blessings of
peace under the Constitution, would GER
tainly attend; but I have no such faith
in myself, and therefore 7 shall not go,
T In your letter you express the opinion
that, BY q "direet personal appeal I
might encourage the loyal or reclaim the
disloyal," | confess my astonishment at
such Statement, and l can attribute; this
opinion Of yours to nothing but a failure
on your part to comprehend the mastery
policy of our great and good President,
and the wise statesmen who aid him in
shaping and directing the civil policy of.
the Government. When you have fully
studied and understood the grand purposes
of our most God fearing and w-abiding
President when you are more famil-
lar, with the profound military strategy
which, as ."Commander-in- Chief of the
Army and Navy Of the United States"
he is now Displaying; aud when you
further, remember, the astonishing sue
cess we have had in reclaiming our "mis-
guided copntrymen," and in eonquering
our "wayward sisters" 1 shall be amazed
if you continue to believe it necessary to
encourage the Loyal or .'reclaim the dis
loyal" Why encourage the loyal? Is,
it possible they need encouragement in
Memphis when, for nearly a year, you
have been inside the Federal lines ; when
every night tattoo is substituted for
"Hush, my baby don't you cry" and at
reveille iI'''Hail Colum bia" arouses the peo-
pie to consciousness Of the great security
which is afforded to the property of the
loyal people in Memphis, and all the coun-
try round that (politicaD Jordan, How
can you or I encourage the loyal,' when
our natchless President, the late Con-
,gress, his sage councillors and his peerless
gnilitary subordinates have already done
and promised all which wisdom can sug.
gest, which our sacred Constitution au-
thorizes, and which the Christian religion
tolerates or approves? There remains
nothing for US to do, unless it DE to obey
our Incompatible President in all bis wise
measures to conquer a, glorious, peace
True, we have among us croakers and cop
perheads--7silly,, brainless men-who are
so unwise and unpatriotic as to question
the wisdom Of our indefatigable President.
IF you have any such in Memphis, you
should at once denounce them as in SYM
pathy with the rebels; you should send
them to their friends "down South" orto
the Dry Tortugas, which tiseunderstood by
many to be place where everbody:is tor
tured with thirst for rife whisky and
not drop can be, obtained. No good
Union man will complain of the conduct
of the wise men who direct our public af-
fairs. 70 They should be taught to remem-
Der that scandalum maognatum was for
merlya high crime-it is a most heinous
offence now-rand nothing saves such: copr
per eolored wretches but the Christian
charity, Of our most pious President. Il p
AT your proposed meeting you should
SO arrange matters as to secure list of all
who fail to attend or omit q to render
suitable apology, and you should adopt
resolutions of the most ''loyap' kind ~
ALLOW me, to suggest that the committee
on resolutions be selected from contractors
and .ofGeeholders. I particularly suggest
one Cooper,swb DO has recently nbeen appoin-.
ted assessor for the large, rich and popu-.
lous, district ofoWest Tennessee. Z, He was
originally from New York. True, he was
never in West Tennessee until sent from
this city on his official, errand y but he no
doubt knows BY intuition the true value
Of the, goods and, cbattels, lands and tene-
ments, &C., ola people he never knew and
|lalcpuntry in which he never lived But
he is SO loyal-so' much 80 that doubt, not
| he isbetter fitted for the office than any
enei Of the native born sons, brothers or
fathers Of the thousands of soldiers who,
befqre the 22d1of last September, West
Tennessee had furnished to the Federal
army Let the, committee initiate the
"Loyal Leagues" of Baltimore, and rer
solve that you npt ienly approve all the
present, wise, and patriotic administration
has done, but, that you will sustain and
uphold itiin everything it may hereafter
CO., adt aedu 99Bf s'HUlsf -0og 9tt To-
d LET the committee, make an elaborate