The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-01-06
Gen Buffers Address to the People Of
NeW-UrIeaDa'


CITIZENS OF New ORLEANS 1t may not be
inappropriate, as it is not nopport ne in occasion,
that there should be addressed to you few words
at parting, by one whose name is to be hereafter
ndissoubly connected with your City.
shall speak in no bitterness, because am not
conscious Of a single personal snimosity. Com
handing the Army of tkc Gulf, found you cap
tured but DO. surrendered conquered, but not
orderly relieved from the presence of an army,
but inca pab e of taking care of yourselves. So
far from II, you had called upon foreign legion
to protect you from yourselves. restored order,
punished crime, opened commerce, brought rro-
visions TO your starving people, reformed your
currency, and gave YOU qsiet protection, such as
you had not enjoyed for many years.
While doing this, my soldiers were subjected
to oboqay, reproach and insult
And now, speaking to you, who know the trath,
| hire ceclsre, that whoever has quietly remained
about his business, affording neither aid nor M
tort to tae enemies of the United States, has
never been interfersd with by the soldiers of the
United States.
The men who had assumed to govern you and
to defend your city in arms having fed, some OF
your women houted at the presence OF thase who
came 10 protect them. By "a simple order (No.28),
| called epoh every ssldier of this armyts treat
the women RI New-Oreans as gentlemen should
d cal with the sex, with such effect tina, now cal
upon the jus. minded laues Of New Orleans to
ssy whether they have ever enjoyed so csn-
pets protection and calm quiet for themselves
and their families, a, since the advent Ct the
United States troops.
The enemies OF my eogntry, unrspentsnt aud
inpscabie, have treated with msrited severity.
hold that rebellion is treason, and that treason
PERSISTED in 10 death, and any punishment short Of
tha, re 3 traitor gives 80 much clear gain 10 him
from the slemsncy Of the Government. Upon
this thesis have | administered the authority Of
the United States, because OF which am not un-
conscious OF complaint. do not feel that have
erred in too much hardness, for that hardness
has ever been exhibited to dislo,a snsniss TO my
country and not 70 loyal friends. 10 be sure,
might have RECALLED you with the amenities of
BRITISH civl!lzs ion, and yet been within the sup
posed rules of civilized warfare. You might have
been smoked to death in caverns, as ware the Gov
enanters OF Scotland by the command of Geneg-
al Of the Royal House OF England or roasted
like the inhabitants Of Algiers during the French
campaign your wives aud daughters might have
been given over TO the ravishcr as were the un-
fortunate DANES Of Spain in he Peninsuar war !;
or you might have been seal ped and tomahawkeG
10 our mothers were at Wye ming by the savage
allies Of Great Britain in our own revolution your
property could have been turned over to indis-
crmnats loot" like the palace of the Emperor
of China works Of art which adorned your bull
dings might have bsen sent away like the paintings
OF the Vatican; your sens might have been blown
ffonl'ta.e mosths of cannon like the Sapoys at
Delhi and yet all this would have been within
the ues OF civilized warfare as pras.icsd BY the
most polished and the most hypocrtical nations
of Europe. For such acts ths records of the
doiDgs Ct some Of hsiHhabitants of your city to-
ward the friends OF the Union, before my coming,
wersa sufficient provocative and publication.
/ But have not 70 conducted. On the contrary
the worst punishment Inflicted, except Tor crin-
nal acts punishable by every law, has been ban
ishment with labor TO . barren island where en-.
esmped my own soldiers before marching here.
1t Isl rse have levied upon the wealthy rebels
and paid out nearly half a million of dollars to
feed 10000 ofthe starving poor Of oil nations as
sembled here, made by this war. ...
l saw that this rebellion was war of the aristo-
Gratis against the mlddng nen; Of the rich against
the poor a war OF the landowner against the
lshersr; that it was struggle for the retention
of power IN the hands, OF the few against the
many; asd 1 found no conclusion 10 it save in
he subjusalisn of the few and the dissnthral-
mont Of the many. therefore felt no hesitation
in taking the substance of the wealthy, who had
caused the war. And shall now lsave you with
the prosd eonciousness that carry with nae the
blessings Of the humble and legal under the roof
Of the cottage and in the cabin of the slave, and
90 am qui content to incur the sneers of the
salon or the curses Of the rich.
found You trembling at the tcrrors Of servils
insurrection. All danger OF this Ihavs prevented
by so treating the slave that no had no cause to
rebel. ..,..... .t......
found the dungeon, the chain. and the lash
your only means e enforcing obedience in your