Year: 1862




To Col. James r. Slack, Colonel Com


mamding Post:


The Board of Mayor and Aldermen
beg leave to represent that the condition
of their constituents is such as to make
the order you have issued in regard to
the circulation of Confederate notes, a
great hardship Scarcely any other
circulating medium is now held by them,
and thousands will be unable to pur-
chase food without their use. Without
the opportunity to earn wages by their
labor, and deprived the privilege Of
using the moGey they now hold, there
must be great distress and suffering,
and, perhaps even starvation. Were
the matter left for sixty days time to
the calm Judgment and discretion of
the people, the Usual results would be
secured, of banishing from circulation
the medium which is an object Of dis
trust, and the common employments and
course of business being revived, the
poor and isb5fitig class would be en-
abled to provide means of support for
themselves and their families by resum-
ing their accustomed occupations
This has been the course, as We are in
formed, in New Orleans, and other
captured cities, aud the Board of Alder
men trust that their constituents are not
to subjected to acts of oppression, and
to causes of suffering greater than have
been visited upon other cities.


Very respectfully,


Your obedient servant


JOHN PARK, Mayor.


MEMPHIS, June 13, 1862.


HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,


MEnrHIs, Tenn, June ii, 1862. !
Hon. john Parh, Mayor:


SIR:-The communication received
from you in behalf of the Board OF
Mayor and Aldermen Of the city Gf
Memphis, has been most respectfully
considered, and due weight given 30 all
the arguments you have made. The
destitution and distress of which you
speak, it strikes ME, will be much more
likely to affect very different class
than those to whom you refer


1t is fact, the truth of which | pre-
sumo will not be questioned, that the
so-called Confederate States issued
nearly all their notes in bills Of the de-
nomination of $50's and SECS, and
from this fact I conclude the laboring
class of your city, those who are de
pendent upon their daily toll for a sub
sstence, are not found with any con-
siderable amount in their possession,
and the rulnous effect to which you
allude will strike a different class alto
gether. The calamity of having to con-
tend with deprecated currency, and
to which you refer, will come upon the
people sooner or later, and see no
reason why it may not as we'll come
now as sixty days hence.


Those who have been the most active
in getting up this wicked rebellion are
the individuals whose pockets are lined
with Confederate notes, and if sixty
days time should be given them, it is
only giving that much time for those
who are responsible for its issue to get
rid of it without loss, and the aoorthkess
trash will be found in the hands of the
unsuspecting and credulous, who have
always been the dupes of designing
Shylocks, by inducing them to accept
of circulating medium which was is
sued to aid in the destruction of the
freest and best Government ever known
to civilization, never will by any act
of mine or the failure to discharge any
duty imposed upon me, do that which
will directly or remotely contribute to
the downfall of the government of my
oou3try, nor will I permit to be done
that which would tend to such an un-
holy purpose.


Should Confederate Not5s'' be per
mitted to be used as circulating me-
dium where the flag of the United
States floats, so far as an act of that
kind could give character to such d
reasonable currency, it would do so,
and thus the very basis of the rebellion
be made respectable by contact with the
Government it seeks to destroy, an act
which I shall, in no Instance, be found
aiding or abetting. With the ardent
hope that you have mistaken the legiti-
mate results of the effect to be produced
upon the citizens whom you represent,
! am compelled to say there is nothing
in your arguments which | can see that
will induce me to change or modify tie
terms of General Order No. 3, but shall
insist upon its rigid enforcement.
+ have the honor to be, sir,


Very RESPECTFULLY,


Youv nbediept sarvauE