Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-06-05
STATE OF LOUISIANA,
mAYCRALITY CT NEW ORLEANS,
80,

MAYoRALrTY CT NEW ORLEANS,
CITY HALL, May 10Th, 1862 ! |
Major General Benz f. Butter Commanding U s. Forces
Your general order No. 49, Of date of 18th inst is
not, holding the Office Of Chief Magistrate of This CITY,
chargeabe with its peace and dignity suffer it to be pro-
& IN our presence %lhoua processing against Inc
OF our people, and must exasperate them to degree be-
yond control Your officers and soldiers permitted by
the terms Of this ORDER to place construction they
please upon the conduct OF wives and daughters and
upon such construction to offer them atrocous insults
The peace of the city and the safety of your officers and
soldiers from harm insult, have affirm, been
fully secured to extent enabling them to through
streets almost UunOtced according to the understand
lug and agreement entered into between yourself and the
city authorities. did not however, anticipate upon
manifested their dspeasure at the occupation of their city
By those whom they believe to be their mics, and wilt
undertake to be responsible for the peace New Or
leans lille such an edct which infurates citizens, re-
mains in force
commit outrages such indicated in your
der, upon defenceess women is in my Judgment re-
proach to the civilization not to say to the Christianity of
the age, in whose name make this protest.
am, sir, your obedent servant,
Immediately upon the receipt of this epste the Provost
Marshal brought the Mayor before Gen Butler The May
then told that language of the letter would not
control aroused passions OF the people, he would be
relieved of any responsibility for the tranquility of the city,
end sent to place Of safety himself to wit Fort Jackson
The Mayor said hs only desired vndcate the honor of
the vrtuous women OF the city he was informed thar
there vndcaon needed because the order did not
contemplate any vtuous woman for he General did not
believe that such person. by word, gesture or movement
meant to insult any of his officers soldiers the
der implied no others, those had insulted the
troops The Mayor said that with this explanation he
satisfied, and would withdraw his letter He, therefore,
signed the following written apology and left for his home
| General Butler: This communication having been sent,
under of fact and being improper language
desire 10 apologize for the same, and to withdraw it,
JOHN T. MONROE, Mayor.
May &c, 1862.
Now the matter touching order No. % was supposed
to have been ended But this course did not suit the
keepers of John r. Monroe and on the evening of the
same day. General Butler received the following letter
MAYeRALTY OF New ORLEANS
City Hall, May Is, 1852
1[qjor- General Butler:
Having misunderstood you yesterday in relation to
General Order No o. wish to withdraw the endorse
ment made tie letter addressed to you yesterday
Please deliver the letter ny Secretary Mr. Duncan who
Your obedient servant.
JOHN 7. MONROE, Mayor.
To this General Butler returned the following
answer
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF TEE GULF,
New Orleans May is, 1862.
SIR There can be- there has been no room for n,snn
any notice of strange gentleman, and 5ort'ort OF
stranger simply in sEch form as to attract attention Com
ress, gentle simple, who, by gestare look or word IN
suits shows contempt for thus attracting to herself tn
becomes her vocation as common woman, aud VIII b.
liable to be treated accordingly. This was most fully eX
abae single word of that order it well considered
beyed will protect the true and modest women from
OSSlbe insult. The others Will take care OF themselves
You publish your letter. you publish this note,
your apology, Respectfully, - uu---.-
BENZ F. BUTLER,
Major General Commanding,
John T. Monroe, Mayor of New Orleans.
At the time of the delivery of the Mayors second LET
ter the General, Mr.. Monroe asked leave to pubs
v it. On the following day the Mayor sent again du
J. plcate of his first letter Immediately bis presenc
e was required before the General He came accompa
. MED by Duncan and then asked to reract the in
sultng language of the letter. He said be did not wis
to send the letter. if he at liberty to publish VIVA
the Generalhad said TO him beforehat Order 28 d.
r not refer to all the ladies of New Orleans The Gene
u rail- thereupoD, told bin that in order to prevent
misapprehenson, he would put in writingun he bottoI
of copy of the Order exactly TO whom it did refer,
as to make it plain to the meanest capacity, aad
thereupon wrote the following memorandum on the bot
r tom of the Order:
e You may say that this Orderreers to those wome
= who have shown contempt for and insulted my SO
o diers by words gestures and movements in thei
e presence"
l. On Sunday morning the Mayor, accompanied b
several persons called on Gen. Butler at his lodgnG
and the Mayor then said that be desired to wlthdra
It his apology. lie informed that the Sabbath wa
not business day with the General. But if he desire
to withdraw his apology, and would place himself nez