The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1863-01-23
From the Nev York Evening POST Of the gth.l
General butler on SOuthern Life
and SOciety.-COnVerssst6 Osa wuh
the New York Com IN issec.

From the Sev York Even ing Post. Of the 0th.l
General Butler on Southern Lite
amd SOciety--COnversa e6OH wuh
the New York COMMITTEE.
In conversation with the committee which
waited upon him yesterdayto tender him the
honor of a public dinner, General Butler
gave most interesting account Of his ad
minstration in New Orleans. and of the
condition Of affairs and society he found
there. Gen. Butler said
/" If they would allow him to be colloq
uial, he would speak OF a few things respect
ing his course in New Orleans, which had
been carped at and severely criticised by
those who had been accustomed 10 act with
him politically in times past-not for the
purpose of injuring him. but the cause OF
the country. With reference to the sla-
very question, his views had undergone a
radical change during his residence at New
Orleans, and while entertaining no preju-
dices against his old political associates. who
found fault with him on that score, he would
only say TO them. that ii they had gone there
with the same sentiments that he felt, they
would have come away with the same
,ments that he felt. Laughter. lie
drought he might say that the principal
members Of his staff. and the prominent Of
hcers OF his regiments; without any excep
ton. went out 10 New Orleans bunker Dem
ocrats of the hunkerest sort, for it was but
natural that he should draw around him
those whose views were similar to his own,
and every individual of the number had
come to precisely the same belief on the
question of slavery, as he had put forth in
his farewell address TO the people Of New
Orleans. This change came about by see
ing what all Of them saw. day by day.
g In this war the entire property Of the
South was against us, because almost the
entire property Of the South was bound up
in the institution OF slavery. This was a
well known tract, probably, but he did not
become fully aware of it until he had spent
some time at New Orleans. The South had
Sl63,O0O,O00 Of taxable property in slaves
and Sl63,O0O,O0O in all other kinds of prop
erty. And this was the case why the mer- !
chants Of New Orleans bad not remained
loyal. They found themselves ruined-all I
their property being loaned upon planters
notes and mortgages upon plantations aud .
slaves, all Of which property is now, reason
ably, worthless. Again, he had learned what
he did not know before, that this was not a
rebellion against us, but simply q rebellion
10 perpetuste power in the hands Of a few
shareholders. At first he had not believed
that slavery was the cause Of the rebellion.
but attributed it TO Davis, Slidell and others,
who had brought it about TO make political
triumphs by which to regain their former
ascendency.
1.-The rebellion was against the humble
and poorer classes, and there were in the
South large numbers of secret societies,
dealing in cabalistic signs, organized for the /
purpose of perpetuating the power of the
rich over the poor.
When we saw the utter decentralization .
Of the people, resulting from slavery, 1t |
struck him that it was An institution which I
should be thrust out of the Union. He i
had, on reading Mrs Stoves book-U nce
Toms Cabin believed it to be an over
drawn, highly wrought picture OF Southern
life, but he had seen with his own eyes. and
heard with his own ears, many things which
go beyond her book as much as her book
does beyond an ordinary school girls novel.
He related an instance of the shocking de-
moralization OF society at New Orleans
There came into his office a woman twenty
seven years of age. perfectly white. who
asked him. in proper language. il he would
put her in one Of her fathers houses. Her
history was this: Her father had educated
her in the city Of New York until she was
between seventeen and eighteen years of
age, and taken her TO ore OF the metropoli-
tan hotels, where he kept her as his mistress.
Not relishing the connection, and desiring
TO get away from him, she went to New Or
leans. He followed her, but she refused to
live with him, at which he whipped her in
the public street and made her marry
slave. She afterward resumed the unnat-
ural relation, going to Cincinnati, but was
brought back by her husband or father.
with a child belonging to some body.
Her father fed from the city at the tine
OF its occupation by the United States for.
ces, leaving her in state of destltutiou.-
She wanted to live in one of her fathers
houses, but her story was not credited. and
he determined to investigate it. TO his sur
prise. it was found 70 be we'll. known, and
testimony of its truth was obtained from A,
b and c. without difficulty. Notwithstand-
ing this fact. widely known as II was. this
nan could be elected in Louisiana, in the
'ity Of New Orleans, judge Of one Of the
courts.
"On one occssip, one Of his aids broushtt
before him young woman. almost white,
Who had been brutally whipped and turned
put of the house Of her father. For this
outrage the man had to pay a fine Of 81 900,
md give The woman deed Of emaucipa-
ion. II Applanss-l These Wefe sAs kind of
harges which had been brought against
i'm. Cheers. and 0ries Of .Goodl'l Yes, .
10 right minded man could be sent 10 New !
orleans without returning an uneeuditionall !
nti slnvery man, even though the ro.fs - /,
he houses were taken of. and the full ex-
emit Of the corruption exposed aiisa ss4" ,
IAN the lower class of the people Of
New Orleans were loyal. During the first I
days after the Union forces enter I
I'd the city. fourteen thousand took the oath
Of allegiance; and when he went on board
the steamer. on his return to the Nor,h, at
.TJEfN > &AGhas3 te