Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-05-06

1
leaders of these "Thugs," By which title
they are known to the respectable citizens.
are rufians of the lowest type, such men as
Jem Beggs and Ben Harrison, now sscity
fathers" one of whom is known TO have
murdered at least halfa dozen men ut diff
terent times. These persons have carried
the municipal elections against the respect
able citizens by the use of the most bare
faced corruption, and worse, By driving
away honest voters from the polls, and as
sassinRting them if they offered resistance.
In 1856 they butchered a number of Ger
mans who came up to vote, aud they have
since maintained their asceudancy by the
use of like means.
Mr. Mayor Monroe is plant tool of this
gang. He was stevedore before his ele-
Vatlon to the mayoralty, is entirely litter
ate, and a man of no standing in the city.
he could not have written the letter which
was published over his name. This was
PROBABLY the work of some practised wri-
ter, and it is evident that it gives no clue
to the real sentiments of the citizens
These have not enjoyed, for some years
past, the privilege of freely expressing
their opinions. To vote against the
"Thugs" was to risk a broken head; and
very many, therefore, did not go to the
polls at all. This was shown in the decis
ion of the question of secession. The to-
tai vote was. very small, compared with tho
population of the city. The fact that the
alternative presented was secession or CO.
operation had the effect, we have been as
sured by prominent UuiOn men of that
city, of keeping many of the loyal voters
at home, while others could not under
stand the difference between cooperation
and secession-which, indeed, puzzled a
good many observers at tbs North, and
these also remained at home.
The population of New Orleans is about
10000. OF these ninety Thousand are for
eiguers, who are uniformly opposed to the
war, which has interfered with their busi-
ness operations and exposed them to an
noyances without any adequate returns
About thirty-fve thousand are Germans
and twenty-five thousand Irish; these are
mostly Union men. OF the creoleS (twep-
ty-hye thousand) a majority are Indifferent.
They were opposed at first to secession, and
such of them as are interested in the sugar
trade will welcome back the old flag
There are about fifteen thousand free
blacks, eleven Thousand slaves. Aud,
lastly, fifty thousand men of NortIern
birth. Among these last are found, we
are assured, the leading secessiouists and
rebels.
Au"Ai uubWttuSthuul0R Jne OEea0 oil the
things" the people of New Orleans
showed theirjoy at the approach ofaour
hset, is evident enough from the alluaion
to renegades in the Mayors letter, and
from the report, not denied, that even
women and children were shot down in the
streets because they manifested their loy-
atty. 1t would not be out Of character for
the ruling powers there TO commit such
oarbaeities. But we need not look for
''Uuion demonstrations" in New Orleans
imme lately. A loyal citizen of Nashville
declined to come out squarely for the
Union when oar troops first entered that
city. He said: "T cannot afford to run the
risk; want to see first if you are going to
stay over night" When the Government
shows that it can maintain its supremacy,
then the loyal citizens will appear; but iii
then, the robbery, imprisonment and death
staring them in the face as the penalties of
loyalty, the prudent Union men will re.
main quiet, in fear that the dismal example
of Jacksonville should be repeated on New
Orleans. sasest.si..s j. ll=.l