Memphis Daily Appeal CS

THE RIVER WAR AND FEDERAL RETALIATION.
We have already mentioned that the Federal commander at Memphis had issued an order giving notice he would commit the inhuman act of expelling from the city ten Southern rights families for each boat that might be fired upon by our partisans on the river, and that after an allotment had been made, and notice served upon the unfortunates who were to be driven from their homes, fifteen days' grace was allowed them in which to endeavor to secure from our commanders pledges that the system of river warfare would be changed, and Federal usage of the great thoroughfare be permitted unobstructed. "We have reason to believe that our paragraph, censuring the original act, aroused the humanitarian feelings of General SHERMAN to some extent, and had some effect in causing a suspension of the unusual and brutal order-that it induced reflection which will yet bring about its entire revocation, and cause him to seek some other mode of retaliating than the one he so hastily adopted, viz: using his military power against defenseless women and children instead of against those who are engaged in a legitimate and open warfare.
Our article is copied in one of the city papers at length, and made the subject of what we have no doubt is a semi-official comment. We shall treat these comments as General SHERMAN'S apology, because we have every reason to believe his surveillance of the press is so close as to at least cause him to daily examine the published leaders, of which this apology is one.
General SHERMAN is aware that the position he assumed will not bear scrutiny, and is one unbecoming a brave and chivalrous man; and, sensitive as he is, he hesitates about the enforcement of an order issued, we have no doubt, in a fit of anger and without reflection. He knows that such retaliation as he proposed would bring down upon him the execrations of the civilized world, and he will be loath to have a single page of the history of this war made darker by such a record against himself. Hissed on much as he may be by the fanatics of his section, we cannot conceive he will assume for a moment the character he threatened, especially when not justified by facts or tenable principles of civilized warfare.
In the apology for General Sherman, but one plausible plea in justification is urged-the attacks made upon Federal boats on the river. The effort is made to create the impression that these boats are not connected with the Federal service, and hence they should not be disturbed.
That the contrary is the truth, no one knows better than General SHERMAN. He knows that the trading and freighting done by these boats forms but a small portion of the service they perform. He knows, on the contrary, that their principal occupation is in the Federal service-in the transportation of Federal troops, supplies, etc., from point to point. He knows, too, that they are endeavoring to use a channel of commerce belonging to the Confederacy, and is aware that no people engaged in war would allow, could they prevent it by legitimate warfare, such use of their natural advantages by an enemy, or by the non-combatants of the nation with which they are at war. Even the last would not be admissible, much less an undisturbed communication by combatants, such as General SHERMAN seeks to establish on the river. He knows what our rights as belligerents are, and he is aware, also, that he will not be justified in pursuing the course he threatens, to make us abandon them. He does not expect us to comply with his demands, or certainly has no right to do so, for in no instance have we shown a spirit so cowardly as such a tame submission would indicate.
The reference in the apology referred to as to the destruction of cotton, is a subterfuge—a mere attempt at a sympathetic dodge. It is answered by citing the fact that General SHERMAN exerts all his power to cripple the South by preventing citizens under Federal rule from trading with us. His organ daily contains notices of the arrest of citizens for attempting to trade South. This is legitimate. On the other hand, the Confederacy prohibits trade with the North. This is also proper. We may need certain articles which free trade would enable us to obtain from within the Federal lines, but General SHERMAN will not allow us to have them; the North we know needs our cotton, but we have rather determined upon its destruction. He confiscates the property of the citizens of his government who seek to trade with us, and throws the citizen into prison; our authorities destroy the contraband article and pay a fair price therefore.
The attempt to fasten upon the South the commission of unusual outrages in the prosecution of the war can never be sustained. The calamities that have attended the presence of our armies are only such as are incident to all wars. But the record against the Federals will be different. History will record the plundering and destruction of private property that followed the advance of CURTIS and his ruffians through Arkansas—the destruction of our towns and plantations on the river—the prostitution of our female servants to the lusts of an unbridled soldiery, and the forcible removal of our slaves from their comfortable homes and prudent masters, to the North, to such an extent as to cause the people of that section themselves to utter loud complaints, and forcibly remonstrate against the unusual emigration. These acts will be a part of history, and to the shame of our enemies. They are not warfare, but plunder and robbery. And, to the disgrace of Americans be it said, the system is endorsed by those high in authority, and if reports that reach us are true, even General SHERMAN is not exempt. For these unwarranted and illegitimate practices our enemies will be execrated hereafter as well as now, for the damning record cannot be obliterated.
The inhuman policy of driving our women and children from their homes may be enforced a threatened, and we can only again urge upon our friends without the Federal lines the exercise of all charity toward the unfortunates. As before remarked, "these once provided for we can adopt measures to speedily punish the miscreants who commit the outrage," should it be perpetrated. The threatened destruction of our river towns and plantations, will not prevent a single possible movement to cripple our enemy, for these are sacrifices we expect to make, and this determination may as well be understood at once. We cannot permit the unobstructed navigation of the lower Mississippi, through our own territory, by our enemy, during the continuance of the war, any more than he will permit our navigation of the upper Mississippi. Unrestricted trade and commerce can only follow peace. Be the consequences what they may we are prepared to meet them.