The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-07-03
VA, THURSDAY MORNING, JULY 5, 1862


dulged the expectation that t.. Under Secretary
Tor Foreign Affairs would by his fepiybe enabled 10
ailay the deep. indignant feeling which p+rvndled
all ciasses In this country at the announcement of
80 extraordinary proclamation utterly cpngnant
to tho spirit Of the nnc.eehth century and 70 the
usages OF civilized war. (Heas.)
In the few observations he wns desiroux of
making he should refrain from entering into the
merits of the great contest going on the other
side OF tho Atlantic III that House they had htl
erto mainta tanned impartial and strict neutrality
and had exhibited prudent and wise reserve, but
it was necessary. that he should make the obssrva
tion that, la that unhappy civil war, appeared
az all accounts agreed in stating, that wherever
the Northern arnits penetrated into the South
they were uniformly received es invaders. and
the{e Was yet no evidence Of the existence Of amy
pavfysbr fraction of party, or Of any indivi1RI
scarcely who entertained in the seeessomist States
other feelings than those of the most determined
hostility to the Northern States of America II
weuld appear that sucl, feeling was uHiyersal,
and that the Southern men, rightly wrongly
identified their case with the sacred OF indie
pentlence and liberty and with love Of country II
was not wonderful then, that throughout the
Southern States Of America tlle women should ar.
take OF the sentiments which their fathers, h,ls
bands. and SONS entertained.
II might have been thought that the sentiments
of honor which generally animated the members of
gallant profession would have made it impossible
that anything like discourtesy insult should ha 70
been ofcred to women by the officers Of Christian
country in a civilized age. (iIcar hear) The
Northern States having established Il military oc
cupation ut New Orleans found might have been
anticipated, bitter feeling of animosity awakened
by the conquest Of that city. That feeling ought to
have excited their generosity and forbeai;tncc. III
stead of that, however, General Butler had issued,
proclamation stating that 'as fhe officers and sol
dcrs of the United States had been subjected re-
pcated insults from women calling themselves the
ladies' of New Orleans, in return for the scru-
puous courtesy, il is ordered that hereafter when
- female shall bY NSyr1 Ere or fnoy nt
insult or show conteinptfor any officer or soldier Of
the United States army she shall be held liable TO
be treated rs woman of the town, plying her avo-
cation"
Did that language mean that the ladies' of New
Orleans, because they might happen to make some
gesture or movement which an officer or soldier
might interpret rs an insult, to be dragged to
the common Jail and subjected TO the most degrading
association wiNhe vilest of their SEX That of it,
self would be the mos; intoierable tyranny to which
a civilized people in day had been exposed.
There was another construction which those words
might bear, so horrible that it could Hardly be in
tended by any mind but that of Il demon, and be
would not, therefore, further ailude to it. But
whereyer this proclamation was spoken Of in Europe
it was sure to be visited with burst of execr;.-
ton-(hear, hear)--and it would he seen whether
public opinion, which was said to he influential
IL controlling deslotS, had any power over arampant
democracy. Some honorable gentlemen might think
remonstrance against this proceeding would be
departure from the line of non inter vention, and
might lead US into difficulties and complications
with the American Government. Let the IJonse not
listen to such mean and timid counsels We had
intereret, and interfered eifectua!ly, former
caSionS.
Many years ago civil war ragged in the nort! of
Spain, whici, WAS characterized by baTbarOus cru
city on both sides. The British Government en-.
dearOred by negotiation 10 stop those brutal prac-
ices, and, though the war went on they succeeded
i'll their object by means of the Elicit Convention.
The noble viscount now at the head o. the Govern
ment had peypetaaUy iatcytcred by way OF reuon-
n red. lent f:fv 10, al
most every Government i'll Europe. Not long ago,
too, Earl Russell demonstrated with this very
American Government for blocking up Charleston
harbor with u stone fleet. But surely our i.terpo-
siiion far more inipcratively c,liep for by
M act which tended TO degrade h,,nan nature it.
self-to throw back civilization, and revive the
spirit Of Ghensiis Khan NadirSbah (Hear.
hear) II would be most unjust without more
liable info ormation on the point to accuse the
American Government of any participation in this
cnormity.
1t tbat Government at once signife,l its disap-
proval of this proclamation p,tblic opinion would
paud its conduct. th..- other hand, If it
showed any hesitation delay in taking that course
he earnestly hoped taat her Maiesty's Government
would gravcy point ont to them the ncce ssi.y of
vndieating the national honor foully stained
sQiear, Ecir.3 The honorable baronet concluded by
moving for copies OF any correspondence received
from Minister at Washington relating to Gen
Buffers proclamation.
Mr. Gregory was not surprised that such a mo-
tiOn should have been placed on the paper relative
10 the tHCy were now CDnS0CfIrp.-
The which had been pursued in regard to it
WAS neither improper nor unusual. The honorable
baronet bad quoted certain precedcnts but he need
not go further than the discussions which had taken
place in that and the other House OF Parliament to
chow il,at when great :,st of nhumaiity hal been
| committed by Il foreign s,tion they were perfectly
justified in commenting on the proceeding. There
had been a debate ON the conduct of ktksia TO.
wards Poland and there had also been a discussion
on the conduct of an Italian General i'll the south
of Italy. Government had not failed to express
tiier opinion in regard to both OF these trdnsac-
tions.
He deprecated cny fussy or Modelling ;nterfcr
ence with foreign States. He entirely disapproyed
those loniiIies and lectures tina, too often read
by our ministers TO foreign States, and which
infinitely more agreeable TO the compilers than 10
the receivers. lie also deprecated the conduct OF
those who ransackcd the newspapers for the pur-
pose of putting; quest lions in that House which were
of no possible use, and were received by foreign
countries with great dissatisfaction He entirely
agreed with what was said in the vacation speech
of the right honorable member Cor Huntingdon
General Peelo that such intermeddling tended to
prdincc a general feeling of dissatisfaction to-
wards this country on tile continent and led for
cigners 10 say III their hearts at least with Orian
do "a do desire that we should be better strangers"
But when proclamation repugnant TO decency
civilization, and humanity; had been promulgated
and put in force against people endessred TO US by
every tie of family language and religion, then he
did think we had right to protest agsinat such
enormiiy-( (hear, hear)-and appeal To the moral
inexc,isablc, and 70 useless (Iear, hear) Taking
the words of the proclamation be read them, it
could signify hing less than that the ladies' Of
New Orleans, il they showed by word, by gesture
or by movement, contempt for a Northern soldier
were to be subjected 10 the brutalites of the North
armies, and haMtie3 10 Tie tender mercies Of
tic scum and Tie romdery Of Ntv YoAk. QIear
hear) That was the Interpretation which the
words conveyed andxhch they had right to put
on them. He had heard that very day that there
was punishment in New Orleans against unfor-
tunate women Of the town-they were no, placed
in the lockup; there was hardly any instance in
which that had occurred.
But let them put even the most mercifu signih-
cation on the words-suppose these ladies
only to be locked up in the calaboose with drunken
negroes and AN the raseaty OF sOidiery; and for
what was this punishment to be inflicted on the
ladies of New Orleanst II by word. movement.
lcsturc they offended Tie scnsibilities of North
crn soldier. (Hear) Suppose ease of gallantry
on the part OF such q SOLDIER il Il lady replied TO
it with THAT feeling of loathing they felt towards
the men, it might be construed into mark OF con.
tempt Ii a lady crossed the street to avoid IN
encounter with Northern soldier, made usp of
any unguardcd expression which showed that,
though subducd the people were still unconquer-
ed In their determination for freedom, it might be
construed into contempt, and Tor that the ladies OF
New Orleans might be locked up with the COM
monlvomen Of the town. QIear) He spoke very
strongly because he felt very strongly
Rot more than two years and a half ago he
WAS ut New Orleans himself, and he -shoah H0
rsaaiiy sfes ia 1iss1sses lac eesils.y ear
read3 acelcomc Nth sshicb he rcceced or tat
CHARM, Tho grace and gen.seasss Of these tadiss =
| (Ilear, hear.l A letter was PIT into lis hand
| from Southern young lady few days age
in which ii stated. II ann afraid when You sec
us again You viii find entirely chan ged-we have
| been SO outraged that you will no longer find ut
| the tirnd retiring wo;aen Were" ('Hear," and
| a laugi.) Io thought it too piteous to lauyh at
| Ii was sal enough for tears. He did not appeal Il
his honorable friend, the Under Secretary ci STATE
for Foreign Affairs, to reply to tss question; bn
1 he did ask tho Prime Minister of Englal. ii b,
| wns prepared to 10 that which ne WAS convinced