Matters in Knoxville.
--Trade Regulated.--In the Knoxville Daily Bulletin we find, under the glaring caption, "United States Trade Regulation," an exposition of the proposed plans of the "Board of Trade for the Department of East Tennessee:"By section first, a "Local Agent" is appointed, whose headquarters are at the "Custom House," on Gay street. Knoxville is declared to be the only "port" to be furnished with goods, wares and merchandize in the Department of East Tennessee.
Samuel Rogers is made the Local Agent, who will grant all permits for bringing in goods. All goods brought in without his sanction are feited.
By the next section, a fee of three dollars is exacted for each permit to import, and the tradesman must take the following oath:
‘ "You do solemnly swear that you are in all respects loyal and true to the Government of the United States; that you will faithfully conform to the Proclamation and Orders of the President of the United States, and of the Military Governors and Generals exercising authority under him, and to Departmental Regulations authorized by law; and that you will at all times, by your conduct and conversation, and by every other means you can properly use aid in suppressing the rebellion and restoring obedience to the Constitution and the laws of the United States, so help you God."
’ This is a jolly oath. At Greenville this oath is amended to the effect that, such tradesmen shall not sell to secessionists, nor associate with them, nor wed a woman of secession proclivities. If the Yankees should overrun the whole South, the people will have been so thoroughly sworn and to so many purposes, that we fear the obligations of an oath will lose their binding force. The above is not more absurd in its terms than that administered at Athens, Tenn., which imposed the obligation to obey the United States in preference to any State, county or other corporation.
At Knoxville, merchants can only engage in the retail business. The wholesale trade is Brownlow's and his appointees. Brownlow must approve the sale of every bill of goods exceeding $5 in value, and for each approval he receives 20 cents. Cotton shippers must pay four cents per pound export duty and $2 per hogshead on tobacco, "before either can escape the vigilance of the treasury officers." Manufactured tobacco pays five per cent. export duty. Disloyal persons cannot trade, "nor Union men who do not approve Lincoln's war policy."
