M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1862-05-15
olrr HALL, Anil gs. lss2.

\
"Fl's Officer Farragut, U. S. aag- ihip Hart
"SlR: In pursuance Of a resolution
" 'ich we thought proper to take onI
Df regard for the lives OF the women
an d children who still crowd the great
me tropolis, General Lowell has evacu.
ateG it with his troops, and restored
back to me the administration of its
government and rhe custody OF ita
honor.
ri have in conncil with City Faith
ers, considerted the demand;you made
OF me yesterday Ofan unconditional
surrender of the city, coupled with d
reqnisition TO hoist the flag of the
United States on the public edifices
| and haul down the flag that still Aoatr
upon the brecz from the dome otthis
hall. 1t becomes my duty to trans
NIT TO YOU an answer which is the
universal sentiment ol my cohGiituentl
and whiNI the prom ptings OF my own
heart dictatNto me on this sad and
solemn OCCASION.
the city is withoat the means OF
defence, and is utterly destitute OF the
force and material that might enable
resist au overpowering armament
displayed in sight Of il. | am no
lmil.tTy man, apd possess no military
authority beyond that OF executing tho
municipal law Of the city Of New Or.
leans. 1t would 90 p-esumptuo us in
me to attempt to lead an army to the
field, i'll had one at commad. and
know still less how TO surrender an
nndefended place, held, as this is, ut
the mercy of your gunners and your
mortars. To surrender such a place
were an idle and unmeaning cere.
mopH Tie city is yours by the pow.
1er Of brutal force not by the choice
Sr consent its inhabitants. 1t is for
you to dermine what will be the fate
that awaits us here.
VAS to hosting any flag not OF our
own adoption aud allegiance, lot me
lsay to you that the man lives not in
our midst whose hand and heart would
mot be paIalyzed at the mere thought
sf.sheh an act, noNcoHl y fnd in H.y
entire constituency so @etched and
desperate a renegade as would dare
to prefane with his hand the sacred
emblem of our aspirations.
Sir, yen have manifested senti-
ImenB which would become one en-
gaged in a better cause than that to
which you have devoted your sword.
doubt not but that they spring from
"a noble though deluded nature, and
| know how 10 appreciate the motive
which inspire them. Ypu have a
gallant peeple to admins trate during
your occupancy Of this city-a people
sensitive to all that can in the least
affect their dignity and self respect
Pray, sir, do not fail to regard their
susceptibilities.
"The obligations which | shall as.
suine in their name shall he religious
ly complied with. You may trust
their aonor, thongh You might not
eoRnt on theirs subission to unmerited
WI Ong.
in conclusion, | beg you to under
stand that .he people OF New Orleans,
while unable to resist your force, do
not allow themrcIves to be insulted by
the interference Of such as have rem.
dered themselves od'ous AMI contemp
tihle by their dassardly desertion o.
our cause in the mighty etuggle in
which we are engaged, or such as
might remind them too powerfully
that they are tho conquetors.
"Peace AMI order may be preserved
without resort to measures which
conld not at tfis momoRt prevent.
Your occupying the city does moi
transfer their allegiance from the gov
ernment OF their choice to one which
they have deliberately reppliatcd
They yield the obedience which the
conqueror is entitled to extOrt from
the conquered.
Respectfully,
[Signed] j. + MONROE, Mayor