Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-04-22
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
MEMPHIS, April 4, 1864

MEMPHIS, April 4, 1864.
have just returned from the grand militia
"blow out" which tax place in this city
every Monday afternoon. This organization,
by-the-way, is feature Of Memphis society
which cannot be easily ignored by the citizen
who pitches his tent in this locality. Every
man not connected with the army must be a
member Of some company. Should he re-
fuse to report himself voluntarily he will be
gobbled up some day or other and compelled
to shoulder his musket whether he will or no.
On drill days every shop, store and place of
business in the city is closed, and more
than Sabbath-like stiffness pervades the prin-
cipal thoroughfares.
OF course many shrewd and amusing
lodges are practiced to evade the regulations.
A few weeks ago quite trade was carried on
in the pass business. The Assistant Adju-
tant General of the "melish," Hebrew,
named Cohen, not content with serving his
country for glory alone, took out a contract
to furnish passes by the wholesale, at twenty
five dollars each. An astute limb Of lhe law
named Hallum, retailed them at fifty dollars
pass. Almost any one would pay the bill,
and a regular land-office business was the
result. Discovery came at last, and the
military authorities pounced on the operators
like chicken on a June bug. Cohen was
consigned to Irving Block prison, there to
ruminate at leisure on the uncertainty Of hu-
man affairs. Uallum, when hauled over the
Goals for his share in the transaction, claimed
that as a lawyer he had a right to receive
moneys from his "clients" for assisting them
to evade the militia regulations, and that as
far as he was concerned it was simply COM
mon business transaction. How this "gam-
mon" worked can best be explained in the
following order, which seod you complete.
1t is one of the bost documents of the kid
this war has brought forth
HEADQUARTERS 10TH ARMY Corps,
MEMPHIS, March 81, 1854
Special Order No. 70
ExTRACrv.
In the case of John Hallum, purporting to
be an attoaney at law, he is convicted of sur.
reptitiously procuring passes aud exemptions,
and disposing Of the same for large sums Of
money the fact of his belonging to an hon
orable profession enhances his guilt.
The flimsy pretence that as an attorney at
law he had right to "charge his clients"
for services, is too transparent subterfuge
to avail him.
A lawyer has the right to fees for profes.
sional services.
1t is no part of the practice Of the law to
procure fraudulent passes and make merchan-
die of them. -,
1t is a disgrace to the profession, and would
only be INDUCED in by an unscrupulous pet
tfogger regardless of reputation, and seeking
1t is evident that this man knew that the
passes in question were obtained by some
underhsndsd practice, probably by HIS con-
federate in swindling, Cady.
No doubt, too, exists that by reason Of
these base practices, suspicion has been
thrown in the public mind upon the officers
of the government as participants in this ne
farious traffic.
An example is required in this community,
and Mr.. Hallum supplies the subject.
1t is ordered that John Halum pay a fine
to the United States of one thousand dollars
that he be confined sixty days at Fort Pick
ering, and that he be forever prohibited from
directly or indirectly appearing as attorney
in any court organized by military authority,
and that at the expiration of the sixty days
of Imprisonment, if the fine be not paid, he
be imprisoned until the same is paid.
1t is further ordered that copy Of this
Order be sent to the Clerk of the United
States Court at Memphis, to be laid before
the Judge thereof at the next sitting, with
the request that the name of the said John
Hallum be struck from the roll of attorneys.
By order of Maj. Gen. S. A. Hurlbut.
T. H. HARRIS,
Lieut.. Col. and Assistant Adjutant General.
Memphis is nice place to live in, that is
if one does not care what he says. For
many weeks it has been as much as mans
life is worth to walk about the streets after
dark, and in some instances people we're rob-
bed in broad daylight. Particularly is it
dangerous to those residing in the outskirts
of the city, where the patrols seldom go, and
where vilainy has hitherto had full run.
By the citizens of Memphis the blame of
this deplorable condition things is Of course
attributed to the soldiers. But unjustly so.
This town is cursed by the presence Of
thieving set of cut-throats who, clothed in
the uniform of soldiers, are ready and willing
to 60 into any rascality, from burning
steamboat to robbing q hen-roost. That
they are not soldiers, the occasional "pick-
ing up" of one of them proves. They are
mostly deserters from the Confederate army,
who have come into our lines to avoid pun
ishment for crimes committed in Jeff. Davis's
dominions.
You doubtless hear great deal concern
ing the loyalty of Memphis. 1t is all moon
shine, however. A residence of several
months in this city where have had not
few opportunities of becoming acquainted
with its society, convinces me that the origi
nal secsssionists in Tennessee are ready to
bear as much and work as hard for their
cause to-day, as they were at the outset.
To hear them talk, however, one would
suppose they were the most loyal hearted
community on the face of the earth. Let
one of them have horse or mule seized by
the authorities, and the way they will plead
for its restoration, would cause the blush of
shame to mantle the cheeks of an Arab beg
gar. But while swearing eternal loyalty to
the Onion, they will plot for its destruction,
and while protesting the greatest admiration
for the Federal cause, will smuggle anything
and everything they can get through the lines
to the rebels.
There is but one way to deal with this
class, and that is, to kick every man who
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