Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1862-06-06
How the Mayor OF New Orleans WINS brought
TO Modify his Opinion.

How the Mayor OF New Orleans wns brough
TO Modify his Opinion.
The following spicy correspondence will
be read with interest. IT was caused by
Gen. Buffers order TO prevent the secesh
women from insulting the Union soldiers,
and finally resulted in most effectually TAX
ing the starch out of the pompous mayor.
STATE OF LOUISIANA,
Mayoralty of New Orleans, May 10, '62.
Mai. Gen. Benjamin r. Butler, command
United States forces
Sir,-Your general order. No. 2S, Of date
18th inst, which reads as follows-(here
follows order %, respecting ladies) is of a
character so extraordinary aud astonishing
that | cannot, holding the Office of chief
magistrate of this city, chargeabe with its
peace and dignity. suffer it to be promulgs-
ted in our presence without protesting
against the threat it contains, which has al
ready aroused the passions of our people,
and must exasperate them 10 degree be-
yond control. Your officers and soldiers
are permitted, by the terms of this order,
to place any construction they please upon
the conduct of our wives and daughters, and,
upon such constructions, to offer them afro
cious insults. The peace of the city and
the safety of your officers and soldiers from
harm or insult, have, affirm, been success
folly secured 10 an extent enabling them 10
move through our streets almost unnoticed,
according to the understanding and agree
ment entered into between yourself and the
city authorities. i did not, however, antici-
pate war upon women aud children, who.
so far as am aware, have only manifested
their displeasure at the occupation of their
city by those whom they believe to be their
enemies, and | will never undertake to be
responsible for the peace Of New Orleans
while such an edicr, which infuriates our
citizens, remains in force. To give Ii
cense TO the officers and soldiers in your
command TO commit outrages such as are
indicated in your order upon defenceless
women, is, in my Judgment reproach TO
the civilization, not to say TO the Christian
ity, Of the age, in whose name make this
protest. i am, sir, your obedient servant,
JoHN I. MONROE, Mayor.
To this disrespectful letter General But
Ter vouchsafed the following unequivocal
answer
Headquarters, Department Of the Cuff !
New Orleans, May 16, 1862.
John L. Monroe, late Mayor of the city
of New Orleans, is relieved from all respor.
siblity for the peace of the city, and is sus'
pended from the exercise Of any officia
! functions, and committed to For, jackson
until further orders. b. T. BUTLER,
Major General Commanding
This order brought the Mayor up to head
quarters in a hurry. Gen. Butler talked
to him very freely, and lectured him yer,
severely for placing such an offensive con
struction on Order No. %, and called hi
attention to its language, which expressly
declares that thereafter" women insultin;
our officers and men shall be regarded an,
held liable to be treated as women of thu
town." The General then told him that h
must apolog ize for and withdraw this lette
or suffer the punishment for his offence in
Dictated above. The Mayor didn't like "th
looks of things" ard made the annexe
apology and retraction, whereupon the Gen
eral allowed him TO resume the functions c
his office:
, GEN. BUTLER,-This communication
having been sent under mistake of fact
: and being improper in language, l desire ,
apologize for the same, and 10 withdraw
' JoHN I. MONROE, Mayor.
' May 16, 1862.