Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-05-05
The News Of the Week.

announcing thata portion OF the yahhee ne0'
Of gunboats had succeeded in passing the
Forts below New Orleans, and stated that"e
then feared it was but the precursor OF news
that the great Southern Metropolis was in pos
session of the enemy. Our worst fears then,
are almost realized by later advices. The
enemy's gunboats having passed the Forts, a
demand was made upon Gen. Lowell, COM
: mander of the Southern forces, for a surren-
der of the city. Gen. L. refused but evacu-
ated the place with his army, after having
burned all tho cotton and that portion OF the
public stores he could not take away to the
place of his retreat some Is miles from the
city on the Jackson railroad. Not a gun was
fred and no resistance made towards the en-
envy after passing theiForts!
The military having abandoned the city, it
was returned to the custody ofthe Mayor and
civic authorities by Gen. Lowell. On the
Goth of April, Commander Farragut of the
Yankee navy, sent a formal demand upon
the Mayor, requiring the surrender of the
city, that the yankee flag should be raised
over the City Hall, Mint and Custom House
by II o'clock that day, and that the South
ern flag should be removed from all the pub
lie buildings, and threatening speedy and
severe punishment" upon all who should mo-
lest persons who should express loyalty to
the yankee government.
The reply Of the Mayor is a bold, manly
and patriotic production. He tells the i'm
pudent and vain. RIGOROUS Farragut that the
city is without means of defence, and that to
surrender such a place were an idle and un-
meaning ceremony"
The city is yours (says the Mayor by the
power of brutal force not by my choice or the
consent OF it's inhabitants. 1t is for you to
determine whit will be the fate that awaits us
here. AS to hosting any flag rather than
the flag Of our own adoption and allegiance,
let me say to you that the man lives not in
our midst whose hand and heart would not
be palsied at the mere thought of such an
act, nor could find, in my entire constituency,
so wretched and desperate a renegade as
would dare to profane with his hand the sa-
cred emblem of our aspirations.
In conclusion, l beg you to understand that
the people of New Orleans, while unable to
resist your force, do not allow themselves to
be insulted by the interference of such as
have rendered themselves odious and o
tamptible by their dastardly d~esertion of our
cause in the mighty struggle in which we
are engaged, or such as might remind them
too painfully that they are the conquered and
you the conquerors. Peace and order may
be preserved without resort to measures which
7 could MT ~ kh;c coopoapt Drayont VO,1r Oc.
cupying the city does not transfer allegl-
ance from the government of their choice to
one which they. have deliberately repudiated,
and that they yield simply that obedience
which the conquerer is entitled to extort from
the conquered. Respectfully,
O [Signedl JOHN F. MONROE, Mayor.
Up to the time of writing this article, it is
not known here whether the enemy has Ia
ken forma'possession or motor whether
acts Of violence were perpetrated after re-
ceiving the Mayors reply. We shall proba-
by hear farther before going to press, and i
our News columns. The demands of tn
yankee naval commander, so far as removing
our flag and substituting the yankee disgrac
ed rag by the authorities or people of New
Orleans, we are confident has not and viii
not be done. If the piratical ensigns float
over that city, it will have to be raised b.
vandal hands against the wishes of an outra
ged but defenceless people.
The conduct of Gen. Lowell is very mys
ferrous, to say the least of il, and strong su'
picions are expressed Of his fidelity. But
is due him as we'll as the authorities thu
placed him in such a responsible position
that he should be heard before being con
demned.
The Richmond Examiner of Wednesda
last, says III is understood that Presidel
Davis has telegraphed to the civil'authoriti'
OF New Orleans to hold the city as long
possible" and that it was reported that Gel
Bragg had been ordered to take commau
there. We hope the rumor may prove true
AM if so, we are confident that the enem
will be routed, if it is in the power of mort
man to accomplish it.
1t was reported that the iron-clad steam
Louisiana had been sunk by the enemy
This is now said to be false, but that she b
gone down to look after the enemy's gur
boats. We shall doubtless hear q good a
count of her.
II will ha caon hy roTo-.-