New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-03-11
assembly, and It adjourned till the next evening
with this utterance on its lips.


For one, having heard the speech, and seeing that
It was printed in the city papers in the morning.
expected to read before night order forbdding ta
ressembling, or at least its dispersion II II met, az
the poiut of the bayonet and the arrest OF the OBJ
nOxious orator and his summary punishment by come
proper authority. inferred that this would DO the
course taken, inasmuch az ID seemed TO me to be
proper, and because had seen that poor women and
drunken men were daily punished for singing "lhe
Bonnie Blue Flag" when under tho excitement OF
rum and dissipation. This deliberate utterance in
plain prose- and IN meeting held for the accomplish
nent of purpose, seemed to be lnuch more daDger-
Gus to the peace Of the city and the State tLan the
half Ineligible chant OF conrtezan or deosgchee
in midnight revel. But ! soon smothered the
thought lest should be arrested and punished my
self for entertaining it, For, to my great surprre,
found that this meeting was Iatronlzed by the
authorities, particularly by the commanding General
who came to the adjourned meeting, and made the
speech which has before this been published at the
North.
| l caulot tell how that speech will seem when
read In your Icy laiudes. Bat considering " whom
it was made, and when it filled me with astonish-
ment as / heard ii from the Generals lips. II
seemed 10 be very remarkable FOR what was not In
il. Read it, and il this is not just criticism.
/ Iiis auditors were met to contemplate their dis
resses from the war, and TO devise means Of relief
The commanding General never intimated that the
surest Of relief to conquer the Rebellion.
On the contrary, no seemed to favor the notion OF
the orator have qlotsd-thst the presence OF him.
self aud his men here was thug to be deplored,
and the cause rather than the consequence OF the
woes they suffered. lie apoogized for being ID
Louisiana. lie excused his aets a. The acts OF LIS
Government. He iIiwsted II ne did no. say, that
he, with the orator aforesaid wished lie was else
where lie talked Of peace with the feryor oil Il
Copperhead Democrat OF the Middle or Western
States. lie spoke like al envoy sent 10 patch up
truce rather than like a General at the head Of an
army. He spoke Of concurring with them III action,
when it would better comport with the relative
positions OF the parties IL he had aid his orders had
been issued and that it only remained to them to
obey them.
| But what followed shows that such was not bis
thoughts nor purpose. 1t shows, on the contrary,
that he was willing TO be turned from bis purpose
| by any suggestions these men might make. Take
an example: Our army needs recruits. Lite ranks
are by no means full. Where death snatches sci.
der in the missm Of these swamps his place is not
filled. Our young men are not Lett TO us. They are
in the swamps Of the Chickahominy or beneath the
sods Of the Rappahannock. Statesmanship and pa
tnotsm are tested 10 find answer to the questions
| What shall be done when the nine months
men return, many Of whom here, holding
shield over New.Orleans and the valley below
from the lncurrions Of the Rebels that Turk IN the
darkness tonight within five miles OF where LOW
write What craftsmanship could not determine,
seemed about to be answered by an unlooked.tor
e Aodus from the plantations The negroes began TO
come to our standard. They were willing to night
for the flag that promised them release from enforced
and toll. In this condition OF things,
these planters say TO Gen. Banks Stop this recrui-
ing your army from IaboTers, and send back
those you already have to the raising Of sugar and
cotton. The General says, II sLall be done IL Is
more important that sugar should grow on
these acres than that peace permanent
and beneficial, should DC conquered
on Rebel soil IL 10 quite well TO exhauss our
Northern industries OF their strong and skilltul
and hands, to empty our college. OF onr youth,
to snatch fathers and sons from families that they
] -. and fqhf ha
humid air Of these unfamiliar regions; but quite
wrong 10 take u chattel from planters who pray fol-
nothing 80 sincerely az for deieaI Of those forces,
that will leave hem 70 rush into the arms Of the
Southern Rebellion which they love.
Yet these singular steps have been taken by the
Commanding Gener. i'll addition TO organizing a.
the national expense Il more efficient police for the
holding of slaves 70 their labor than any Southern
community ever Lad. Under 1t the negro goes 10
his toll and remains at II, At, the very POINT OF the
Northern bayonet. The planter ought 10 be reloiced
II war which has brought 10 him "a means Of keep
ing FESTIVE negroes at home and at their labor with
on. the expense Of bloodhound or driver or lash.
Under all these enoouragements. II Were singular
indeed lftason failed to gain strength and TO teel il,
And il accustomed no surprise therefore, when its
more open manifestations APPEARED. On the day
alter Gen. Bauks's speech a number OF Rebel pris-
oners were to be sent up the river for exchange.
vast crowd assembled Oh the evee. Rebel flags
were huttered. Yankees were insued. Soldiers ,
given, and street light became imminent II has
merely been postponed. A mob gains strength by
one Partial su cess. Their people armed to
a greater or less extent. They Will use their arms,
anu predict. that on the hrSt happening oi any
event attracting large crowds, blood Will be freely
shed in the streets Of New-Orleans.
1hl- tendency Of treason 10 grow rampant has not
fued TO attract tho attention Of the soldiers. They
freely discuss it, and its cause. The TESTIMONY is
undisputed that It ID the product of the mild policy
now pursued The men whom Gen. Banks brought
to thin department concur with the soldiers and off,
GERS whom Gen. Butler bad with him in condemna.
ton of this attempt to win favor with these people
by kindness. They are not 90 be reached BY any
influences except those which war offers and If, as
infer from the extract have placed at the head Of
this letter there is v belief at Washington that our
soldiers hero are satisfied with events as they have
happe ned for n few weeks past, and are now hap
penng | beg TO say, after the most ample means OF
knowing, tina! more gross error in belief never ex-
listed.
the subject indeed, absolute it may safely be said
10 be- They are not demoralized at all They are
in good SPIRITS and good health. But they zee tho
fruits OF their sacrifices here lost to the country and
treason springing up behind them, from lack OF
vig0r and earnesinees I'D some quarter Iesponsoie
for the orders under which the army and acts.
Besides, there 10 deemed to be absolute danger OF
losing some Of the territory now held by our arms.
II il the belief of many that attack will be made
here by the Rebels long before any shall be made by
us ut Port Hudson aud the danger certainly exists
Our fleet here may DO overcome by some sudden
raid. IL il should happen, simultaneous land at
tack might DO attended with the most serious conse-
0uences And the danger Of this disgrace, and tho
Circumstance that 10 practical, efficient and immedi'
ate measures seem to be taken to avert IT, creates
yet further inquislude.
spirit which animates the soldier, whether regular
or volunteer But il is undeDable that many officers