The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-03-03
Letter from Memphis.

MEMPHIS, TENN, Feb %, 1865.
FL Ui,ion Two things are troubling
the peace of mind of large POI tion Of
the good citizens of Memphis just now
business and politics Owing to the
strange proceedings of Gen. Dana, who
is in command here, and of his superior,
Gen. Candy, the intentions of the gov
eminent with respect to the purchase
of cotton have been DISTRACTED, and in
some respects opposed. For instance
the Presidents executive order author
lied the purchase of cotton from two
classes of persons--Ist, of those pos.
sessing-2d, of those O,gning or controlling
cotton. In the orders of the two above
named Generals, the class called pos
SCISSORS was entirely ignored. and strict
definition of what constituted an town.
er, or controller" was established By
this means men of standing and posi-
ton became almost shut out of the
trade, from the impossibilityfof estab-
fishing, in most cases, ownership or
control, unless by the aid of a process
known as hard swearing The Pur-
chasing Agent here, Mr.. Ellery, is a
thorough man of business, and has
been indefatigable in carrying out fully
the objects for which hew appointed,
but where the military authority un-
dertook to obstruct the policy of the
government, the efforts of the Agent
were to considerable extent neutral
lied.
The result of all this-in addition to
the tight closing of the lines-has been
to diminish trade here, and leave the
Front Row merchants lin possession of
more leisure than money. But it may
now, believe, be said nous aU0ns change
to,a celia. The President wrote to the
commander a letter, which has been
published, and the terms of which are
sufficiently singing Since that docu-
ment appeared, orders revol1ing or
ders' have been somewhat common
The Department, however, is now re-
moved altogether from Canby's COM
mand 10 that of Thomas, and the con-
sequence is that business prospects look
brighter, for if cotton can come in, and
one third its value in supplies go out,
Memphis will do lively business this
spring
In the field of politics, Memphis cuts
q sorry figure. Her merchants sit with
glowering eyes, gazing into their stores,
empty Of customers, yet viii not walk
to the ballot box to vote for the recon
struction of their State, which, by giving
them representatives and Senators in
Washington, to plead their Icause when
advocates with the government are re
quired, would prevent the occurrence, or |
at least the continuance, of such Oh.
structions TO the government policy as
those from which they have recently 50 !
severely suffered, and would obtain for |
them such Just relaxations and indul-
gences as the military situation admits !
Of The leading Union men, or most |
of them, want breath Of ideas---the |
pea before their eye shuts out the
bright sun that is at distance They /
are more troubled about the distribu-
ton of petty offices, than periodically
moved to re>establish the State au-
.hority. The consequence has been,
that the election upon the question OF
reconstruction" has been a Notifying
failure. To this failure, men who had
been at the Nashville Convention even
contributed. Mr.. Wallace, for in
stance, man who, as the Scriptures
lay, did run well, at a meeting held
he evening before the voting, violently