Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1865-03-06
The Great Cause of the Country.


We take the following paragraphs from
letter from Augusta 10 the Mobile Regisisr.
Comment is unnecessary but the evils r.
feusd to exist throughout the length and
breadth of this fair land, now SO seriously
threatened. A sweeping reform would not only
save the country from being Overrun, but would
insure our independence before the close Of the
approaching summer. Are not our leaders equal
to the emergency
Gen. Hardee's location at last accounts, was
at SummerVille, where be had congTegssed q
considerable force. There is no possible chance
to ca lculste st present whA! will be the future
| operations of either army. All will depend on
| the movements of the enemy. Yet there is no
/ doubt that all the troops of the four armies il
| this eastern department. will be concentrated in
| Virginia, and that the last campaign of the war
! viii be finished in : few months ~hethss hy
| immense battle or strategy remains to be de-
Vsloped.
While ell his accumulation and strategy is
proRressipg, there is nothing like the energy
| Epplied that iS needed. A radical change is
absolutely needed to render the army effective
and large enough to compete with the hordes of
the enemy. Let me give you an item for edi!o-
rial comment, and an item which, if it had no
existence, would add to our army legion that
would end the Wgr in the next six months, and
would have ended it two years ago, if the remedy
had been spplied. | refer to the great number
of unnecessary offices ant employees who are on
post duty. In this city alone, there are over
one hundred and Fifty distinct offices, which with
their hundreds of unnecessary attaches, swell ths
number of detached men to several thousand
persons Influences of all kinds are applied 70
sscurs these safe and easy places, and as mat
Ger of course, there are many Of them who
furnish consideration for the privilege.
As an instance, we Will mention that, in the
supply department alone there are nearly fifteen
thousand men employed in the department west
OF the Savannah river. It must be evident to
the most casual observer that one-third of the
number would do the work as effectuslly. L
would be sn easy raattsr for somo of the small
offices to be absorbed, and the work of several
done by one man. As the mater stands at PIE
sent, our army has sbopt twenty thousand men
bearing arms to oppose Sherman; and it takes
nearly twenty thousand individuals to attend to
the business of supplying them and the other
petty business that our administration provides
, for them. Is not this condition Of affairs an
egregious humbugi Is no. the imbecility that
} permits such q condition of things to exist an
evidence of mAlsdminisErston, thai should be
spurned with all Ehe energy Of the press and the
voice of the people, until 3 new and radical or
der Of ihirgs is established To those OF Us
VINO nave suuersd tns teTTlOlS naIQsllp5 OF tnS
past four years of war, this condition of things
is awful and msddeniDg
The offices that refer to do not even supply
our troops with the most ordinary material and
supplies Of war. What becomes of g., the pro-
ceeds Of their labor Ii seems impossible that
they do their duty, when We see our brave men
y in the field walking barefoot, leaving marks Of
blood on the cold and rough ground over which
they march. We cannot help but wonder what
tbese Offices Gnd their army of attaches are
doing, when We SEQ the musty bread and bad
bacon We get and cur utter want of blankets
and every 1ther article necessary 10 make 3
csmpsiyu, wisss7t bsiug worn 70 death by want
and cold, Nor Ca we uDder9tsud what object
there i II keeping hald-sl, cs -oliisrs or duty
ss pEoYass --aLds 90 annoy -r -sh1 haYa fought
/ the battles and suffered The privalions Of th5
Confsderaie armies during the last age Of var,
while gamblers, and do nothings, and fancy
men by thousands, are permitted to pass unmo -
Tested and protected along the streets, thai We
cannot walk as freely as the nsgroes, to whom
We give way These crying evils must bs
stopped, or we will be iost-rUined