, 1862-06-05
GbE Ctiht&uEe
FROM NEW ORLEANS.
Major General Butler vs.. 1.-THE
British Consul"

NNE4'~4A"
cident in the history Of this rebellion, it viii
undoubtedly be read with interest throughout
the country.
The subject Of the communications between
the General commanding aud the acting Brit
lsh consul is breach Of good faith on the
part Of number Of her Majesty's subjects be-
longing to body Of armed men known as the
British Guard, and attached to the European
brigade, under command Of Gen. JUICE This
brigade was organized for tile purpose of
maintaining the peace of the city, and two or
three day after the occupation Ut the Union
army, it was disbanded. Immediately after
disbanding, Capt. Burrows company of the
British Guard held meeting and voted to
send their aIns and Uniforms to Gen. BeauTc-
CARDS army, which they did. On learning Of
this, Gen. Butler threatened to unrest any
member of the company found in the city after
the lapse Of twenty-four hours. Three of the
members were SO arrested, and hence the cor
refponGcnce.
BRITISH CONSULATE, NEW ORLEANS, May 8, 49,
61R-Nr. J. J. Burrows, British, subject.
and who lately commanded company com
posed entirely Of British subjects, Organized
to comply with the Law Of this State, has in
formed MT thai, ut your request, and in con
tor1nity with an order from Brigadier General
Juge, hc appeared before you yesterday for
in my commeplcation, and he begs my inter
ference in behalf Of himself and Of the other
British subjects concerned Mr. Burrows
states to me that you informed hun tlut every
member of tho British Guard must report 10
yon, with uniforms and arms, and those fail
ing to do 60 must leave this city within
twenty-tonr hours, or be sent to Fort jack
son. 1t llas come to my knowledge within
the past two days, and am given to under
stand That you are in possession Of iuforna-
tion to the salnc effect, that some members
"a minority Of the whole} Of the company Of
RT1riS} fTn9r3 hp1i..yir,-
had been imposed upon them by the law Of
this State WAS ut an end, and their services No
longer requircd,- "a short time prior to the oc-
cupation Of this city By the military authori-
ties Of the United States, sent their arms aud
equlpments-their own private property, I
believe-from the city, to whom or where Mr.
Burrows is unable to inform NE. For this
reason it will be impossible for them to report
to YOU as soldiers character in which the
British subjects now in question have never
been oesirous Of showing themselves in the
existing strife in this country
Il is not my intention in this commune ation
to shield my countrymen in the step they
have taken, for It mag be construed as breach
OF That neutrality imposed by her Majesty
Oh all her subjects; but if it is looked upon
in thai Light, feel convinced that they, when
they took such action, were Ignorant of the
and did it with no idea Of wrong OF
harm. It may not, sir, be Irrelevant for me
10 mention that l much regret to hear that
The position Of Brltith subjects in this city as
neutrals should have beun questioned or
doubted. When the militia law OF this State
was enforced by the authorities, requiring all
men between eighteen and forty-tiye, who
were IN the State, to perform militia duty, I
was compelled to oppose the Inv, aud inform
cd the Executive Of this State that the service
imposed upon British subjects was contrurr
to the Law OF nations, and placed them beyond
that neutral position which had been euioircd
upon them By their Government. This WIS
partly at the instance Of many British subjects
and co1]oirtly done with the consu1s Of seven
other European governments. In conse-
quence Of our action the United States au-
thoritics, on taking possession OF this CITY,
found that tie city was to u great extent il
the charge Of the foreign corps, and they were
performing service allowed By their own
governments, and one deemed incompatible
by either beilisrrcnt. Consequently, it is
scarcely reasonable to suppose that, after so
strongly opposing the militia law for fear Of
losing or violating thuir rights Us British
subjects, they would voluntarily aud
knowingly plaec themselves in that IN
many months carefully avoided Is have
had The honor to state above, aud for the cause
mentioned, it will not bu possible for some of
the British subjects, who were members Of
the British Guard, TO obey the ordrr Of ques-
tienable Legality given to Mr.. Burrows, that
they should report to yuu as soldiers, and it
would BECOME my duty 10 sole1nnly protest in
the name Of her lnajesty's gown n:ncn. yainst
the alternative stated by you, the enforcement
of which would infringe the rights of British
subjects residing IL tut United States have
tue honor to bc, sir, your most obedent ser
want, GEORGE CorrEL1,
Her majestys Acting Consul
Major General B. F. Butler, United Statcs Ar
ny, Commanding Department Of the Gulf,
&c, New Orleans, La.
HEADQUARTERS, DErAnTMESr OF THE CURL
NEW ORLEANS, May II, 1s62. !
SIR: have your communication Of May g.
With it eyasions of fact have nothing to d..
a plain statement Of the matter is this A
number Of residents Of this city, who have
enjoyed the protection and advantages Of the
Ghlted Stltcs government in tlcir large trade
and property for many years (sou1e Of them
for more than Il dccadt), aud now claiming to
have been born subjects OF Her Majesty Queen
Victoria, organize themselves into a military
body, known as the t.British Guard" and,
armed, uniformed and equipped, patrol1ed the
streets till the 1leet OF tie United States had
the city under its guns. This body then, after
discussion in presence Of its captain and 1t
least one other officer, at IL O'Clock at night,
Deliberately voted III an organized meetiug to
send the arms and uniforms OF the company to
the army Of the retel General Bcaurex .rd,
which vote was carried iuto effect, by svudiu.s
to the rchels, bstantia:ly, all the arms, uni.
forms and equipments i'll the artnory. This
tr.nsaction was concealed from NE for some
days. then sent for Capt. Burrows, and he
acknowledged the facts materially as above
stated In this flagrant breach of the laws oi
nations, Of the United Suites, your Queen s
proclamation, aud the laws Of God, 1 directed
hin. to order his company to leave the city
within twvnty-3our hours, To this he oh.
jectcd, 50. ing, among other things. that this
would be publishing the innocent with the
ghIty- rs tEcre We're some members absent i!
| the time OF the vote: that each soldier Of the
| Guard owned his arms and uniform as private
| properly, and it would be hard to compe
those to 1eaVeth city who still retainel theil
| arms and uniforms, and did not concur in the
vote I then modified the order, directing
| those to report 10 ME who still retained theil
all rights Of neutrality aud hospitality, to eay,
the city within twenty-four hours, OF should
| have them arrested and sent to Fort jackson
as dangerous ard iniasica1 persons. These peo
I'le thought it Of consequence that Beauresart
| should have sixty more uniforms and rites.
| thought it OF the same consequence That III
| should have sixty more Of these faithless men
who may ill them it they choose. l in
t tended this order to he strictly enforced
| am content for the present to suffer open en-
emies TO remain in tie city Of their nativity, bu
law-def3in ing and tEeacherous alien enamie
suAAl ttVt l HClCU4uE I'LL ututfAls Auu 10FtlGu
crs who have Kept aloof from these trouble
which have been brought upon the city, ant
will, to the extent Of my power, protc.
them and their property. THEY shall hay
the same hospitaolc and just treatment tue
have always received at the hands Of the Uni
ted States government. They will see, however
for themselves, that tits orthe interest Of all T.
have the unworthy among them rooted ont
| because the acts Of such bring suspicion up D
all. All the facts above set forth can casi.
be substantiated, and, indeed, are all evasiv.l
Admitted in Your note by the very apolog
made for them. That apology says that thes
men when they took this actiun-sent thes
arms aud munitions Of war to Bcaurcgard-
"did it with no idea Of wrong or harm"
do not understand this. Can it be that sue
men Of aye enrol themselves as milisar
body did not know that it was wrong to sur
ply the enenaies OF the United STATES wiz
arMss Il so, I think they should be abseE
from the city long enough to learn SO muc
international law, or do you mean to say tina:
knowing their social procliyitIcs and the 1att
| ness o( the lour when the vote was t:.sc1
therefore they we're not responsible9 The,
is another difficulty, however, in these pco1l
taking anyprotection under theBritish flag IT
company received a ch1rtcr or commission, {
| some form Of rebel authorization from tb
Governor Of Louisiana, and one of then
whom have under arrest, accompanied hi,
to the rebel camp. There is still another di
| iculty. am informed and believe that q IN
jority OF them have made declaratiors of the
intentions to become citizens of the Unite
| States, and Of the supposed Confederate State
and have taken the proper aud improper oatf
Of allegiance to effect that purpose.
Thus far you will do me the honor to ol
serve, that have treated your communicable
,$nI A. Z..1.-