Public meeting in Memphis for the defence of the City.
We have already published under our telegraphic head that a public meeting was held in
Memphis recently to take measures for the proper defence of that city.
The following resolutions and address were adopted by the meeting:
‘
Resolved, That in view of the imminent danger now threatening us, all business houses shops, and manufactories, except those engaged in manufacturing munitions of war, &c., be requested to close, and discontinue business at three o'clock every day for the purpose of enabling persons in such houses, shops, &c., to connect themselves with some military organization and drill from day to day.
Resolved, That it is expected that every able bodied and loyal citizen will connect himself with some military company, and provide himself with such weapons as he can obtain.
Resolved, That the citizens of each ward, and those in the vicinity of the city, be requested to hold meetings as soon as possible and organize as many companies as can be done, and report such organization, number of arms, description, &c., to
Brig-General Carnes.
Resolved, That every citizen who has a gun, and cannot join a company, is expected to place the same in the hands of some person who can or will act in defence of our country.
Resolved, That a committee be appointed to issue a brief address to the citizens of the surrounding country in
Tennessee,
Arkansas,
Louisiana,
Mississippi, and
Alabama setting forth the imminent dangers to which we are exposed from an invading army, and urging all able-bodied men to organize themselves into an army of defence, and hold themselves in readiness to march a any moment to any point designated should the enemy descend the
Valley of the Mississippi.
Resolved, That
Messrs. Miller,
Apperson,
McDavit and
Nelson, be a committee to confer with the
commanding generals at
Columbus, and to tender to them such pecuniary aid as may be needed to expedite building of the submarine batteries they now have under construction.
Resolved, That a committee be appointed to confer at once with our generals at
Columbus, Ky., and urge upon them the necessity of immediately closing the
Mississippi river at some point with formidable rafts or otherwise, under the supervision of a competent engineer.
Laid on the table.
The first, second, third and fourth resolutions were adopted without opposition.
’
The fifth resolution was adopted, and the address which it called for was read by
Col. J. T. Trezevant, as follows:
‘
To the Citizens of Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana:
The long threatened invasion of the
Valley of the Mississippi is at our doors.
The enemies of our rights and liberties — our wives and children — our homes and firesides — are moving down upon us by land and water, in overwhelming numbers.
Within the next five days, perhaps, the great battle of the
Mississippi will be fought at
Columbus, Ky., and if our soldiers are then overpowered, as they may be,
Memphis is lost to the
South, unless you come to our help.
If Memphis falls, the
Mississippi Valley is lost too. We ask our friends in the surrounding States to look these facts sternly in the face before it be too late.
The invaders no longer make war for a restoration of the old Union.
They, as well as we, know that to be impossible.
Their avowed object is conquest — subjugation; that subjugation to be effected by all the terrors of fire and sword, to which may be added all the nameless horrors of a servile in surrection.
You are interested in all this.
To save
Memphis, is to save all you hold dear or valuable on earth.
To abandon it, is to abandon the richest valley on the globe to the ravages of men whom success will make but demons.
We therefore call upon you to arm and prepare to strike when blows will be most effectual.
Call county, district, and town meetings.
Organize military companies, and enlist every man between 15 and 60, capable of bearing arms.
Get out every gun that is effective, and put them into the hands of those who will use them, if you cannot.
If you have not guns enough, get pikes, of ash or hickory, armed with iron points.
Husband all your ammunition.
Waste none of it in sporting.
Have your places of meeting — drill daily — and hold yourselves in readiness to repair at once to such points as may be designated by this committee, or by the competent authorities, as soon as you may be called upon to do so. We exaggerate nothing.
We state simple truths.
If you value your life and liberty, and all that makes them dear, we entreat you to adopt that prompt action which can alone preserve them.
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