From the South.
The order of Gen. Grant expelling ‘"disloyal"’ citizens from Memphis has been published. Gen. Jeff Thompson has issued a proclamation, assuring all Tennessean in the Confederate States army that their families, if expelled, shall be provided for. The General has written the following letter to the tyrant Grant:--Upon my return from Grenada, I find a copy of your Special Order No. 14, of July 10th, 1862, requiring certain parties therein designated to leave your lines within five days. If, General, you intend to carry this order into effect, which we of course presume you will, the cause of humanity will require that you make some arrangement with us, by which the helpless women and children who will thus be turned out of doors, can be provided for; for you must well know by this time that nine-tenths of the people of Memphis come under your ban, for there is scarcely a respectable family in that city who have not a father, husband or brother in our army, or are the widows and orphans of those who have fallen, bravely fighting for our cause. The present terminus of the Mississippi and Tennessee railroad is at Cold Water Station, which is thirty four miles from Memphis, and our regular lines are on the stream of that name. Where your lines are we do not know, and therefore you will please define some point in a southerly direction from Memphis to which the fathers, husbands, brothers, or friends of the exiles can go in safety to meet them, or extend the time for leaving, as it is not possible that the number covered by your order can get transportation to Cold Water within the time granted; and I would not for a moment suppose that those little feet that will thus be driven from their homes and birth-spot shall plod the weary distance of thirty miles. At the same time, General, that I make this appeal to you, I feel it my duty to remark, that you must not for an instant suppose that the thousands who will be utterly unable to leave, upon this short notice, and the many who will thus be forced to take the hateful oath of allegiance to a despised Government, are thus to be converted into loyal citizens of the United States, or their affections weaned from our glorious young Confederacy; and while to ‘" threaten"’ were unsoldierly, yet to worn is kindness, and therefore, General, I would say, beware of the curses and oaths for vengeance, which the fifty thousand brave Tennesseeans, who are still in our army, will register in heaven against the persecutor of helpless old men, women and children, and the General who cannot guard his own lines. The bearer of the flag and this letter, Capt. E. R. Porter, C. S. A., is authorized to agree with you on the paints asked in the foregoing.
