NEW ORLEANS. 



647 



to feed the hungry and relieve the distressed with pro- 

 visions. But to the extent possible within the power 

 of the Commanding General it chall be done. 



He has captured a (juantitv of beef and sugar in- 

 tended for the rebels in the held. A thousand barrels 

 of those stores will be distributed among the deserving 

 poor of this city, from whom the rebels had plundered 

 it ; even although some of the food will go to supply 

 the craving wants of the wives and children of those 

 now herding at Camp Moore and elsewhere, in arms 

 against the United States. 



Capt. John Clark, Acting Chief Commissary of Sub- 

 sistence, will be charged with the execution of this 

 order, and will give public notice of the place and man- 

 ner of distribution, which will be arranged as far as 

 possible so that the unworthy and dissolute will not 

 share its benefits. 



By command of Major-General BUTLER, 

 GEO. C. STRONG, Assistant Adjt.-Gen., Chief of Staff. 



In accordance with this proclamation, a pub- 

 lic distribution of the captured stores was com- 

 menced on the 13th, by which means, together 

 with the subsequent revival of traffic, all appre- 

 hensions of immediate distress were dispelled. 

 In reply to the severe strictures of Gen. Butler, 

 . several of the city newspapers in the Confed- 

 erate interest stated, that since the preceding 

 August the poor had been gratuitously sup- 

 plied twice a week with provisions, that mil- 

 lions of dollars had been subscribed by private 

 individuals for similar purposes, and that the 

 existing suffering was due to two causes : first, 

 the blockade, or non-intercourse with the coun- 

 try from which provisions had previously been 

 drawn, and, secondly, the derangement of the 

 . currency, the United States commander having, 

 in his proclamation, warned the people of the 

 danger of receiving the only currency in circu- 

 lation, or rather the basis of the only currency 

 in circulation. 



With a view to procure a remedy for the 

 latter evil, a committee of the Associated Banks 

 of New Orleans requested permission to re- 

 store to their vaults the specie which had been 

 conveyed from the city previous to its occupation 

 by the national forces; to which Gen. Butler 

 replied that the specie should have safe con- 

 duct through his lines and be protected, so long 

 as it should be used in good faith to make good 

 the obligations of the banks to their creditors 

 by bills and deposits. " In order," he added, 

 "that there may be no misunderstanding, it must 

 be further observed that I by no means pledge 

 myself that the banks, like other persons, shall 

 not return to the United States authorities 

 all the property of the United States which 

 they may have received. I came to " retake, 

 repossess, and occupy all and singular the prop- 

 erty of the United States of whatever name 

 and nature. Further than that I shall not go, 

 save upon the most urgent military necessity. " 



Acting in the spirit of these words, Gen. 

 Butler had on the 10th of the month taken 

 forcible possession of a large amount of specie 

 deposited in the office of M. Conturie, consul 

 of the Netherlands, and which, it was sup- 

 posed, belonged to the Confederate Government, 

 or was to be expended in their behalf. The 

 proceeding drew forth a formal protest from 



the entire consular body of New Orleans, as 

 being in contravention of treaties between 

 their governments and the United States. In 

 reply Gen. Butler expressed his regret that the 

 consuls should have acted without invi.-ti- 

 gating the facts of the case, and stated that it 

 would be demonstrated at the proper time, that 

 the flag of the Netherlands had been used to 

 cover and conceal property of an incorporated 

 company of Louisiana, secreted under it, from 

 the operation of the laws of the United States. 

 " No person," he concluded, " can exceed me hi 

 the respect I shall pay to the flags of all nations 

 and to the consular authority, even while I do 

 not recognize many claims made under them ; 

 but I wish it to be most distinctly understood, 

 that, in order to be respected, the consul, his 

 office, and the use of his flag, must each and 

 all be respected." 



The rigor and decision which marked Gen. 

 Butler's conduct in this instance characterized 

 his administration from the moment of his 

 arrival in New Orleans, and by a prompt and 

 sometimes severe exercise of the rules of 

 martial law, particularly in the matter of ar- 

 rests and imprisonments, he kept the city in an 

 orderly condition, although the inhabitants, 

 distrusting his ability to maintain his authority 

 for any considerable period, at first manifested 

 no enthusiasm at the restoration of the national 

 supremacy, and carefully abstained from com- 

 mitting themselves in favor of the Union. A 

 notable exception was found in the conduct 

 of a portion of the female population, who 

 availed themselves of the license usually per- 

 mitted to their sex, to offer gross insults and 

 indignities to the national soldiers while in 

 the orderly discharge of their duties. Appre- 

 hending that, if this conduct should be unre- 

 buked, the soldiery might be induced to re- 

 taliate, or brought into such contempt as to 

 provoke open assaults from the disaffected por- 

 tions of the populace, Gen. Butler issued on 

 May 15 the following order, known as General 

 Order No. 28: 



HEADQr AKTEE8, DEPARTMENT OF GCLF, NEW OELEANS. 



As officers and soldiers of the United States have 

 been subject to repeated insults from women, calling 

 themselves ladies, of New Orleans, in return for the 

 most scrupulous non-interference and courtesy on our 

 part, it is ordered hereafter, when any female shall by 

 mere gesture or movement insult, or show contempt for 

 any officers or soldiers of the United States, she shall 

 be" regarded and held liable to be treated as a woman 

 about town plying her avocation. 



By command of Major-General BUTLER. 



Its publication excited violent opposition 

 from disloyal citizens, and the mayor of the 

 city, John T. Monroe, made it the subject of an 

 angry communication to the municipal govern- 

 ment, and of a letter to Gen. Butler, placing 

 an exceedingly offensive construction upon the 

 order. The latter immediately directed him to 

 be deprived of his official functions, and com- 

 mitted to Fort Jackson until further orders. 

 At a subsequent interview with the command- 

 er-in-chief, at headquarters, the mayor was 



