Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-05-03
TuE MAYORS REPLY.
MAYoas OgrIcp. en- HA1L.
NEw ORLEASs, April u. Is6l


NEW ORLEASs, April %, 1861.
Flag Officer d. G.. Farrggut, U. S. F7ag
Ship Hartford
Sir: In pursuance of resolution which
we thought proper to take, out of regard
tor the lives of women AID children who
still crowd the great metropolis, General
| Lowell has evacuated it with his troops.
and restored back to me the administra-
ton OF its government and the custody of
its honor. have in council with the city
fathers considered the demand you made of
me yesterday, of an unconditional surren-
der of the city, coupled with a requisition
to hoist the flag of the United States on the
pnblic buildings and haul down the flag
that still floats upon the breeze from the
dome of this Hall. 1t becomes my duty to
transmit to you an answer which the uni
yersal sentiment of my constituents, no less
than the promptiugs of my own heart die
tates me on this sad and solemn occasion.
The city is without the means of defence
and is utterly destitute of the force and ma.
teriRl that might be able to resist an over.
whelming armament displayed in sight of
it. am no military man and possess no
authority beyond that of executing the
municipal laws of the city, 1t would be
Presumptous in me to attempt to lead an
army to the field il / had one at my COM
mand, and know still less how 10 sur
| render an undefended place, held as this is
at the mercy of your gunnners and your
mortars.
To surrender such place were an idle
and unmeaning ceremony. The city is
yours by the power of brutal force, not by
my choice, or consent of the inhabitants.
It is for you to determine what will be the
tate that awaits US. as to hosting any
nag OF our own adoption and allegiance
let inc say to you that the man lives not in
our midst whose hand and heart would not
oe parnIyIed Mt tho mere thought of such
an act, nor could find in my entire con-
stltuency so wretched and desperate rene.
gade' as would dare to profane with hand
the sacred emblem of our aspirations. Sir.
you have manifested sentiments which
would become one engaged in better ca u Sc
than that to which you have accorded your
sword. doubt not but that they spriue
from n noble though deluded nature. and I
kLow how to appreciate the emotions which
inspires them. Yon have gallant people
10 administrnte during your occupancy of
this city-a people sensitive to all that can
IN the least affect their dignity or self re-
spect. Pray, Sir, do not fail TO regard their
snsceptibilities. Tho obligations which
shall assume, in tleir name, shall be reliO-
iously complied with yon may trust their
honor, though you might not count ON
their submission to unmerlted wrong.
l beg of you to understand that tbe
people ofNew Orleans while unable to re.
sist your force, do not allow themselves TO
be insulted by the interference of such as
have rendered themselves odfous and con-
temPtible, by their dastardly desertion of
our cause in the mighty struggle in which
we are engaged, or such as might remind
them too powerfully that they are the con-
quered and you the conqnerors. Peace
and order may be preserved without resort
to measures which could not at this mo-
ment prevent. Your occupying the city,
ernment Of their choice to one which thew
have deliberately repudiated, and that
they yield to obedience which the conquer
er Is entitled to exhort from the con-
quered.
(sfgned) Respect'y. JOnS MoSaoE,
Maynv