Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-01-02
RYrmE rssRsIDaNr or TaE coNrEpr's-
.. ATE STATES.
A .PROCLEM:A!TIoN.-.

day of July last S62) by uenerai noCgrt q!
tbe fofederate State of America to General u. w:
Vacck Generarinchefso thu United army, in
f,1 The that report had reached this Cow
eynment that WA b. MuGfpsd, a:citizen of the Contei-
or,te States had been executed by the United States
Authorities atNeT orlsans for having pgied down the
:Uted States Gag IN that city tefofe It's occnpatonby
theforres Of the CniJed States, and calling state
net OF the facts, with aSew TO %petaliatioh such
outage had really beeh committed under sanetioa OF
the authorities OF, the; United States
Aud whereas, Lno atsSer" having been'ress'yed to
i'd letter anoher letter was onlth august last
tlSS2l addressed By: General Lee undefmy Instructions
Gen Haeok renewing the 'inquiry;ia relation 70 tue
said execution of said Mumford with the. information
that in the event Of not receiving reply within fiIssn
days It would be assumed the fct alleged was lg1le
ndwas 'sancOned by thsltoyeTnlnent OF The United
st ieS.r - - 49, &. ut. -. .:..4 { {;
III sG91 was addressed to General Lee by Gcherl IT, W.,
HaIeck the said Generain Chef:Of the armies Of the
United States alleging sufficient cause aor failure TO
make early reply toaid letter Of the 9Th July sorting
"no Authentic information had been received in re-
Iion 70 the xscuion of Mdnford but measures viii
.b mmediately te,t oascetan the lactsof the alleged
execution aud;promisiug that General SEcs should be
And whereas on the 2gii N6tisisinbet last 1857 Jan:
other letter as addressed under MY Instruction. by
Robert oaid.Gonfsdefate Agcntgfor the exchange Of
to isut.G0ls ". H. LUDLOW; agent Of the. United
States under said cartel norping him that the rplana
lions prosed'in the said letter Of Geneial iaci, of
7thof August last bad noe yet been received aud that
If ne answer was sent " lie Government within fifteen
diys from the delivery: of tits last communication II
wouidbe cc1sideredthai an answer IS declined 80 :;
S6Srcas by letter dated on the 80 day Of the
month; December, the said Lieut. Col Ludlow:
apnr,sed the said Robert Ould that the abote reclted
yoInmInicaliou-of2st 18th November had, been received
ndt9fya!ded 70 lae Secretary OF War Of the gai'ed
d;.whersaslhh last delay Of. fifteen days allowed
for answer las elapsed and answer has been :;
= And, whereas addition TO the tacit admission re:
sdiiing froni above refusal to answer, hayereceved
evidence fully establishing the truth Of the fact st the
said William d. MaInford actzen of this Cop!cderacy;
was aetuayand publicly executed III cod. blood by
hanging atter the occupation oithc city OF NswOrednS
by the forces under the command fGen Benjamin f.
Butler when said Mnmord was an unressing and non:
conbataut captive and for no offence even alleged TO
have been committed Ly him subsequent tile date Of
the capture OF the said citg&;, =, -. :.
= Aud whereas the silence ofgthe government of the.
United States and s maintaining Of said Butler in high
Office under hs7authorityfor many months after his
commission oi-au .sct that can be viewed in other
hight than rs adpiiberatc murder well "a OfnunerOus
other aud Atrocities hereafter to DO melitioned
afford evidence only that the said govern
ment sanctions theconduct Of said Buttr; and de-
te-nined THAT no shall remain unpuuisted Tor his
crimes: 20 ) .s'',r':::. -.
Now, therefore; IJETTERsoN DAVIS President Of the
Confederate States of America, and u.ther, name do
pronounce audi declare the said Benjamin - Butler TO
be;G felton, deserving of capital punishment do order
that he be.no longer considered or treated simply as
public enemy 'ofthe Confederate States OF America but
es an outlaw snLcommon. enemy.of mankind, and that
IN the,eyent Of lis csp;ure{ the olcera oomqand Of
The capturing force do:cduse To- DO immediately exc
cuted by hangn and do further. order thatnO cons
missoned officer az the. 'uiied States, taken captive
shall be releaSed plrol before exchange until the
sid Butler shall have;metEii dde"pnnshiient 10. hi.
ormes:.' a, - - IN go, . 49,,
And whereas, the ,hosities. aged against dis Con-
fsdtrrcy by; tse otcessof the United under the
comma nd of said Benjamin \. Butler have borte hc re-
tambanee TO iG warfare Ssl0nr perni.sh hy the
TuGs:O international law Or the usages Of civilization,
but have been characterized by repeated atrocities and
outrages among The large number Of Whlch ee'tsow'
inc, may De cited as. examples: - = -
Peaceiul aid aged. citizens Inrestiu edprIes and
-c0mbaIantS haYSS boon ii hard labor with
balls and elIaisSttached toheirshnbs, and arc still so
heldindn1gr IorlrosSes oltefs :haie 5een sub
ected 10 like degrading punishment for selng med
cines the sick:soldiers Of The. Confederdey.
1.-The soldiers OF tho United Statesav been invited
And encouraged bygenerai orders TO iusutand outrage
the wives the nohersand the sistersof our Citizens:
Il Helpless w6menhave been tori: from their h9mos, and
subjected TO solitary confinement soue in fartresses
andpriyons and one especially an Island OF barren
sand under tropical san have heeW fed with loalh!
some ratons, that lad beep condcmnedas unit Tor SOL
diers; and have .hten e1posedto the SicseinSulss
Prisoners Of who surrenderedt0 te!naYal forces
oc the United States agreement that they Should be
released parole have been seized and Kept. In close
confinement
'Rgpeated pre-. = have been so or invented for
plunderhg the inhabitants of the cap ed cty'by fines
levied under threat Of imp oning recusants
ut hara labor with bali and chain;: ,. ..- -.
The entire population of the city of Eewoflsins have
faro, hy the
ton of all their property, and taking oath against
conscience to boar allegiance to tie Invaders their
country: :: 80, -" - !" -
Egress from the city has been retqsadto hose'whose
fortitue wttood the test, even to louie and agedwomen
and 10 helpless and after being eectefon their
homes and robbed Of their property they have becueft
10 starSe in the Streets subsis on charity. -: -:
The slaves have been driven from tie plantations in
the neighborhood Of New Orleans, till their owners
would consent share the crops with the Commanding
General his broiler Andrew j. Butler and other Off
GERS aud when stch consent had been exiorted; the
slaves have been reStoredto the Plantations and there
compelled to work Under the bayoHets Of guards Of
United States soldiers. - 49, Sc. = .:'.:..7
Where this partnership was refused armed expeditions
have been sent the plantations 10 rubhem Of every
thing that was susceptible ofreniova and eyen;sayes
too aged or ihfrmfor work haYeia spite of.their
Treaties been forced from the homes provided by the
owners and driYtn'to wander helpless on the highway
Byia recent General Order NO: the entire proper
IL infhat part Of louisiana yngwostOft the Mississippi
river been for coTfScGtioh and officers
have been assigned TO- duty>withorders to: gaberup
andeollect the personal property and turn:o the
proper officers upon therrecepts suclpf said property
as may be required for the nse'of The United States
army; collect Iogetherall the other property
and bring the:rsame' TO New Orleans, land cause
tito be sold mt public auction highest bidders
.ai order Which; ii:execuled condcmns,to punishment
by starvation, ateaSt quarter Of million Of human
beings, of all ages and eOndition and Of which
the execution although forbidden to military officers by
the orders of President Lincoln is in accordance with
the CGnfscaiion Law Of enemies which. he has;d
rooted to enforced through the agency of citioli'
cals And finally the African slaves have onyGeen
excited TO- Rsurreetioni by every license eneon age.
ment but numbers Of them have actually been armed
horrors the most meCceSs atrocities Of the savages;
y And whereas, the officers under the commandgof ,he