Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-06-12
BUTLER AND THE FOREIGN coNsULs.

The correspondent Of the New York "Herald" writes
The most important act that has been accomplished
ence my last letter is the seizure OF large amount Of
specie from the Office Of the Hope Insurance Company,
loo Canal street, and the banking house Of Samuel
smith Co., 10 Camp street. These eezares occurred
on Saturday the 10TH and under the following cifcum
stances It having TO the knowledge Of General
Boiler that large amount of specie Was secreted at the
office of the Consul Of the Netherlands he ordered Os
tain Shpey OF the Thrtieth Massachusetts, Regiment,
with proper guaIG to take posse sSon OF the Office.
Captain Sbipey found Mr. Couturie at the ofice WHO
confessed having the keys Of the vault in his poses
sicn but refused deliver them Captain s. returned
to General Butler for ins!ructons Lieutenant knsnsu,
Of General Buffers staff then sent back with Cap.
tain Shipey and demanding ths keys, Mr.. Couture
claimed 10 be Frenchman (which Is true unierstsnd)
aud sent note 10 the French Consul demAndr his PIE
lection. he afterwards stated that be was toe ConsUl
TO- the Netherlands and prott sted sg INST the nvason
of his consulate Lieutenant Kinsmaa told him that he
must have the vault keys and ordered his gard to
arch Mr. Centuries person, DUNG which they fouad
the KEYS 10 his trowsers pocket On openir the vault
Lieutenant Kinsnan discovered nearly cord OF kegs
filed with specie. guard was placed over them for
the night aud on Sunday they were removed to the
Custom House.
There werS one hundred aud fifty kegs each evder tly
containing FIVE thousand dolirsin the aggregate ight
hundred thousand dollars Elch keg was SCALE and
stamped "Citxsns Bank N. o." The money was Of the
date Of 1851 aud each piece had the o. which ndcs.ed
its having been mned a. New Orleans There IS the best
reason TO believe that il ia part OF the ideD dca spe
stolen by the rebels from the hot at the
OF the war Il principally this belief and desire to
gain the property for the United Sta es Government
thlt induced Gen. Butler to selzs the rIoney.
Mr. Conlurie WAS coLfned TO his Office by the guard
until evening" and was then released His st oct after
his lib ration to haul down the Consulate flag and IL
has not since been displayed e then pr, pared stae.
meut Of tho transaction for fAs Governments aud for
Earded to Gen. Butler ettes and Statement of facts
append to this communication protest against the in.
vasion Of Consulate cfca from the foreign Oonsuls in
this city, and Gen. Buffers answer.
NEw ORLEANS, May IL, 1862.
hajorGcIeral B. +. Butler United States Army, Com
manoing Department OF the Gulf:
GESERAL-It having come to tho knowledge of the
undersigned that the Consulate Of hs hsj .sy the King
Of Netherlands in this city, had been forcioy entered
by your orders by persons in the Uniforms of sol
6.rs in the service Of United States Government
the person Of the Consul subjected 20 indgnity and
severe Ill usage and kept prisoner for several houre
becomes tie duty OF the undersigned 10 view OF treaties
row existing between the Governments which we repre-
cent and tina. OF the United States to formally protest
against such action, aud against any act auhorz ID BY
you any authority Of the Uaited Stats that may
10 Contfavendon OF such treaes We have the honor
10 be, General, your most obedent servants,
hFJAS, Consul of France
LoRENZo CALICO, Consul of Spain.
Consul OF lgivm, Consul OF Portugal
Consul OF Hanover, Vice Consul OF It.ly
Cjnsul OF Brazil, Consul Of England,
Consul Of Nassau and Brunswick, Consul OF Austria,
Consul OF Greece, Consul Of Hamburg,
Consul Of Bremen, Consu OF Wwtem.
Consul OF Sweden and Norway, burg,
Consul oil RuEsa, Consul of Denmark,
Consul of Switzerland.
To this Gen. B itler replied
HEADorss DEPARTMENT NE Cur !
INV oaLEASs, hay 18th, 1862.
haVa the M otaat which von Ina M
It proper make in regard to the action of ny officers
towards the Consul OF he Netherlands which acton
approve and sustain. am greved that Without inyest
gion OF ts facts, you, hesss should have thought il
yorr duty 10 take action in the matter Tho fact will
appear be- and easily to bc demonstrated at tho pro-
pes time, LaAt tho hg Of the Netherlands was r,se TO
cover and conceal property of an incorporate com.
TaBy Of Louisville secreed under il from the cpsra
ton OF the laws Of ths United States. That the,
supposed fact that the Consul had under the tag only
the property OF Hope Co., citizens OF the Neither
lands, Is untrue. He bad other property which could
not by Law be his property or the property of Hspe
Ooi oil this have abundant proof In my own hands -
No person eau exceed me in the respect snall pay
the hags Of all nations and TO the Consulate authority
even while do not raoognzs msny claims made under
them; but wish it distinctly understood th,t in.
order be respected the Consul his cf.e and he use
Of his flag, must each and all be respected have the
honor to be, very respectfully obedent servant,
BENJAMIN !. BuTLER,
helor 6enerA Comm ano1R..
Owing to General Buffers having been informed ha.
large amount OF specie belonging the Oonfsdt rate
Government secreed the Offices of the French and
Spanish Oonsulsa guard placed hore Offices the
day Of the seizure at the Consulate OF the Neither
lands but Oh the positive assurance Of the Representa-
vts OF the above Governments that tho information was
entirely incorrect, the guard was withdJ avn.
ADJUTANT GENERALS OFFICE
Juae 40, 1852, (
nFIcEas recruD for the line late Troop, are ofirsy
" Jr6d TO enlist any eerte srag Ter from The
4. vir finn 10