Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-11-12
Nuiun and 9ispatfh.
TUESDAY. NOVEMBER Ie. IsSz.
LETFER IRON MEMPHIS.

LETTER FROM MEMPHIS.
Memphis Dances HOrnpipe-Who
Pays the Fiddler Mayor Lofland I'm
Hot water-The NIgEer Comes 10 the
surface - Horrible Dreams - The
south Empfies Ifs wealth and Ge-
nfus into Memphis-PrOgressi Ca
Iamiifes-UniVerSaIB Bankruptcy.
oorrespondence ofthe Union and Dispatch.
MEMPHIS, Nov. eth, l867.-Memphis
never felt a keener interest in local legis-
lation than in that measure proposed in
the General Assembly, which contem-
plates the extension of her corporate limits.
You must know that during the war Mem
rhis " fell among thieses," and since,
thieves have been distributed through the
city. Expenditure were made fpublic
monies by those who had no interest in the
eity's welfare, who had no reputation 10
maintain and BY those actuafed rather by
hostile than friendly purposes. After the
war many municipal officers were accused
in the newspapers of Infamous practices
There was a " Ring" so-called. All offices
were confined TO the limited few, and of
these none were too corrupt or too degraded
70 aspire to a policeman's or Alderman's
place. Finally reform was effected. A
new class of men were chosen 10 legislate
and make appointments But cholera and
yellow fever, and the entire suspension Of
business through the past four months, the
consequent depreciation Of city bonds and
scrip, the execution ofcontracts for street
improvements when money was abundant
TO be complied with now when there il no
IL r.. a.. IF
cumulative calamities which have made
Mayor Bo1and's administration as mefnRr-
able as that of any predecessor, however
unworthy or incompetent. Thoughtful
people condemn him in nothing. In the
conduct of his administration he has done
neither more nor less than capable and
honest men in other pursuits. Bankers
have made nothing, most have lost heavily,
and the best merchants have extenied pa
per and been protested Calamities have
followed rather in quick succession until
the pressure Of legislative follies has imc
paired confidence in the security Of per-
sonal and property rights.
FEARFUL AND UNAVOIDABLE CALAMI-
TIES
Ii need amaze no one, therefore, that in
diyiduals and corporations fail. Mer-
chants, bankers and farmers alike ac-
knowledge the weight of evils borne. The
worst is not yet. The cotton crop of the
South will not suffice to pay the cost OF pro-
duction. These planters must live, they
and their wives and children. Many cot
ton growers will fail TO refund advances
made by banks. Tradesmen will go to
protest by the score, and banks may ex-
plode. There are darker days before MS
than any gone By. Ii the credit of the
| city and State be not maintained, there
will occur an aggraystion of private woes
which shalt disturb society, make robbery
SIS common here as i'm older cities, and ren
der property utterly valueless.
| THE LEGISLATURE SHOULD BEWARE.
| Very clearly the State is deeply interest
ed in the fortunes of city which pays into
the public treasury more money than any
ffty counties, if Davidson, Montgomery
aud Knox be not included It IL certsiBiy
\ TRUE tfiaf n Memphis Be badly goserhed
if thieves and incapable rascals be invested
with authority, if those having no inter
est in the well-being of the city become it,
masters, there will follow an exodus of tht
industrious and good, and the thieves and
villains of continent will congregate herr
to plunder and destroy.
/ now HORRIBLE 10 DIE NOW.
It is very unfortunate in municipa
elections, especially since the great bod
Of property are disfranchised, tina
any, save propertyrowners, can vote or holt
office. Ten thousand blacks can be mus
tered from Arkansas, Mississippi, and th
adjacent country, by LOYAL Leagues to con
troll municipal elections If we pust b
plundered as well AS degraded; if stripes
by unknown adventurers of the little pro
perty that is left us and made meaner thai
those recently our slaves, cannot see an
great necessity for government. Anarch,
would serve us quite as we'll. POVERTY tina
is now inevitable, may be borne and pas
misfortunes retrieved, hut under the domi
nation of knavery and utter incapacity
provided for as by existing and contem
plated codes there is hope neither for our
selves nor children. The sooner the en-
comes the better. As | would not give M
wife and children home in Africa woul
deem death invested with unparallele
horrors Iif must die before Tennessee
redeemed from the domination of il
present masters.
rue GREAT HEGIRA.
Are Won amazed, therefore, that thos
who can. abandon the State? From tn
Gulf States. recently Africanized, the he
and most intelligent of the people, povert,
stricken and almost hopeless, seek HON,
in this and more northern cities. The col
duct and feeling of the great body Of III
Southern people is well illustrated by th
course of three Judges of the Snprefu
Court Of Mississippi. Disguised, hope es
these men, strongly attached 10 localiiit
in which they had won wealth aud fam,
abandon their high positions. One goes |
Baltimore, and two resume the practice
/ their profession in Memphis. They an
the many think that perchance this Gil
NAV escape the black storm that sweel
over the South. They hope that by she
force Of public opinion, barbarism may
turned backwards from the walls of Mer
phis. Our General Assembly, by wise al
liberal laws, designed for the good Of Il
e State and city, instead of partisans, mig
, make Memphis the depository Of the cor
mercial wealth Of the whole Southwest
fear greatly, however that our wise la
r giyers viii! only provide for the election
' Smith 10 the Mayors Office. Such are I
a miserable men who now make laws a.
a guide the destinies Of cities and States.
n Fl, IMPENETRABLE sTUPmITY.
| wonder whether the force of the I
cent Northern elections Is felt by that boz
Of monomaniacs called the General A
q sembly at Nashville? The doom Of Ra,
calism il written. The people Of the Nor
the soldiers, with Grant and Sherman
their head, never designed when we =,
8 rendered 20 enslave or disfranchise
lg Soldiers as | know, forgot enmities VII
At they occupied the relations of captor a
Il prisoner. These cowardly politicians. "
N never welded mnsket, are only sava
as towards the powerless. We will nov
enfranchised. Soldiers never imsgin
that we would become the slaves OF slay
This result Of surrender was not in The p
tocols executed By Lee, Grant, Sherm
and Johnston. The men who conquer
3 US by force OF numbers and resources v
not suffer us to be enslayed BY Brownie
at into whose remorseleSs hands We were
az livered without arms given TO Grant q
70 Sherman. Right will triumph and just
ns be done. Let Us be patient / was ne
:, Democrat and never Secessionist. 4
AZ horred 1sncey and Davis as POLITICAL
'n- but could learn to love them under