Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-12-29
Federal nuIc ,h New Orleans.

There may he 70 good reason 10 hope for inn
prOvement in the management on affairs in New
Orleans, should il prove true that Gen. Butler has
been superseded by Gen. Banks: but if we may
believe the representations of reliable men, mat
tiers here could be no worse. Whoever may
have been 1t fault. there is no doubt that many
loyal citizens of New Orleans have experienced
terrible injustice. They have suffered incalcula-
bly in their persons and estate because there was
no method of reIress Any other course than
absolute submission 70 military law, no matter
how arbitrary, WAS sure to bring down the sword
in still heavier blows. Remonstrance. complaint,
ouly aggravated the punishment to be received.
We have heard doeful tales to this effect. not
intended for the publ. ear; but if they possess
Ouly n 1.-THE of truth. Union sentiment in New
Orleans must have been cultivated under much
embarrassment. We may even question whether
the rebels have not been stimulated 10 a much
iercer Observation-Disclosures they have not rallied
Tor the defense of their cities in greater numbers
and stronger determination, from their knowledge
of the fate OF the Crescent City These views
are fully borne out 10y letter from Mr. A PEN
tss (now a resident of New Orleans) to the
Lockport Daily Union, which he lately edited.
Mr.. PTentiss writes:
This city, commercially. is dead-very dead.
All the business now carried on here is supported
10y the United Stltes Government, or those in its
EMPLOY. There is little comparatively done in
sugar and cotton, but that little is controlled by
Col. A. j. Butler, "a brother OF the Generals
who has large grocery house in this city. Ali
the goods shipped to the interior are either pur
chased of Col A. J =, or they are not permitted to
90 up the river by him He controls the trade
from the country, and some say he has cleared
two millions of dollars through his civil aud mill
tary Transactions The Generate of course has no
interest in this bnsiness-of course not. Grocery
men here quietly grin and bear this wholesale
monopoly The drinking houses and bowling
looms are also supported by the United States
Government or those in It's employ. So at least
the prOpretors say and the blue coats and gold
lace hangngs about the places would seem to in
dorse the statement. The army has become such
consummate drinkers that General Butler last
week issued order f5rbiddiDg any commits
stoned officer in his division from drinking in
public bar rooms.
The order Is in effect like Lincon's emancira-
ton proclanatiOn-Out of his beat. Houses of
worse repute than gambling hels are also said 10
derive their chief support from the army. The
question will arse in your mind. where does all
the money come fromr 1t is obtained in many
ways other than by honest toll in the service of
the country. Picket guards are the best supplied
with money. The readiness with which pass
can be obtained to get into the Confederacy is
one source of supply; the constant and social in
tercourse between the Federal and Confederate
officers and soldiers in this city, on the lines and
up the river, are some other reasons for the sup
fly For FIVE dollars either one of your readers,
ii here, could get pass to ihe Ines into
the Coniederacy That money does not 20
North TO lessen taxes, but il does 20 to Till
the plethore pocket Of the officer granting the
pass. is spent ia the qualification Of the baser
passions The occupation of New Orleans is a
costly Investment for the North, and Dorado
for the commanding officers here.
OF Gen Buffers rule he says, with an evident
desire to do no injustice
Where so many arrests are made. and where
judgments are pronounced so hurriedly. il would
be equaling the impnrsalty OF the blind goddess
herself not TO commit occasional error of
judgment That such cases have occurred
doubt not future historians will have occasion to
chronicle.