654 



NEW ORLEANS. 



NEW YORK. 



who are enemies, but I shall gladly treat as friends 

 those who are friends. No restrictions will be placed 

 upon the freedom of individuals which is not impera- 

 tively demanded by considerations of public safety ; 

 but, while their claims will be liberally considered, it 

 is due also to them to state that all the rights of the 

 Government will be unflinchingly maintained. Re- 

 spectful consideration and prompt reparation will be 

 accorded to all persons who are wronged in body or 

 estate by those under my command. 



The Government does not profit by the prolongation 

 of the civil contest, or private or public sufferings 

 which attend it. Its fruits are not equally distributed. 

 In disloyal States desolation has its empire, both on 

 sea and'on land. In the North the war is an abiding 

 sorrow, but not yet a calamity. Its cities and towns 

 are increasing in population, wealth, and power. 

 Refugees from the South alone compensate in great 

 part for the terrible decimations of battle. 



The people of this department who are disposed to 

 stake their fortunes and lives upon resistance to the 

 Government, may wisely reflect upon the immutable 

 conditions which surround them. The valley of the 

 Mississippi is the chosen seat of population, product, 

 and power on this continent. In a few years twenty- 

 five millions of people, unsurpassed in material re- 

 sources, and capacity for war, will swarm upon its 

 fertile rivers. Those who assume to set conditions 

 upon their exodus to the Gulf count upon power not 

 given to man. The country washed by the waters of 

 the Ohio, Missouri, and Mississippi can never be per- 

 manently severed. If one generation basely barters 

 away its rights, immortal honors will rest upon another 

 that reclaims them. 



Let it never be said either that the East and the West 

 may be separated. Thirty days' distance from the 

 markets of Europe may satisfy the wants of Louisiana 

 and Arkansas, but it will not answer the demands of 

 Illinois and Ohio. The valley of the Mississippi will 

 have its deltas upon the Atlantic. The physical force 

 of the West will debouch upon its shores with power 

 as resistless as the torrents of its giant river. 



This country cannot be permanently divided. Cease- 

 less wars may drain its blood and treasure ; domestic 

 tyrants or foreign foes may grasp the sceptre of its 

 power ; but its destiny will remain unchanged. It 

 will still be united. God has ordained it. What avails, 

 then, the destruction of the best Government ever de- 

 vised by man, and the self-adjusting, self-correcting 

 Constitution of the United States ? 



People of the Southwest, why not accept the con- 

 ditions imposed by the imperious necessities of geo- 

 graphical configuration and commercial supremacy, 

 and reestablish your ancient prosperity and renown ? 

 Why not become founders of States, which, as entrepots 

 and depots of your own central and upper valleys, may 

 stand in affluence of their resources without a superior, 

 and in the privileges of the people without a peer 

 among the nations of the earth ? 



N. P. BANKS, 

 Major-General Commanding. 



The commencement of Gen. Banks's admin- 

 istration was marked by a leniency which 

 seemed to indicate that the severity Gen. Butler 

 had thought it necessary to exercise was 'either 

 distasteful to the new commander or contrary 

 to the policy of the Government, and among 

 other conciliatory measures adopted was one 

 releasing a number of political prisoners. But 

 a portion of the people abused his clemency by 

 various demonstrations, which brought out the 

 following significant warning : 



HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, ) 

 . NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 21, 1862. $ 



Information has been received at these headquarters 

 that publications, injurious to the character of soldiers 

 of the United States, are circulated in the streets, and 



that anonymous and threatening letters are sent to 

 officers connected with the public service. Such 

 practices are indecent, offensive, and criminal, and 

 must be suppressed. The troops of this department 

 are instructed to observe a respectful deportment to all 

 persons, and the same deference will be exacted from 

 all persons in their favor. Any attempt on the part of 

 any person whatever by offensive personal conduct to 

 excite passion, or which tends to personal altercation 

 or controversy and the disturbance of the public peace, 

 will be punisned with the sharpest severity known to 

 the military laws. The Commanding General requests 

 that any violation of this order may be reported to 

 these headquarters or to the Provost Marshal Gen- 

 eral. By command of Maj.-Gen. BANKS. 



That this did not immediately produce the 

 effect intended was shown by the riotous con- 

 duct of several citizens, who, on Christmas Day, 

 cheered in the public streets for President Da- 

 vis, and used threatening language toward the 

 military authorities. Prompt measures were 

 taken to prevent the repetition of such acts, 

 and the close of the year found the city excited 

 and exhilarated at having escaped from the iron 

 rule of Gen. Butler, and apparently confident 

 of its ability to disconcert a commander in 

 every respect competent to rule with harshness, 

 should his moderation be despised. The popu- 

 lation of New Orleans in 1860 was 168,675. 



NEW <5TORK, the most populous State in the 

 Union, increased in population 783,331 during 

 the ten years preceding 1860. The largest 

 percentage of this increase has been in the 

 cities of the State, which was 58.39 per cent. 

 The additional details of the census of 1860, 

 which were made up in 1862, relative to New 

 York, will be found under UNITED STATES, to 

 which the reader is referred. 



The political aspect of the State of New 

 York underwent a remarkable change during 

 the year 1862. This was not apparent at the 

 spring elections of the towns and counties, 

 when the local officers were chosen of the same 

 political character as at the presidential election 

 in 1860. As the year progressed, however, it 

 became apparent that the popular opinion was 

 undergoing a change, and this became more 

 manifest when the general war policy of the 

 Federal Adminstration assumed a new phase. 

 The Administration party went into the can- 

 vass with the most radical men in nomination. 

 Gen. James S. Wadsworth, as candidate for 

 governor, represented the most extreme views 

 of the republicans. Horatio Seymour, once 

 before governor, was again placed in nomi- 

 nation as the democratic candidate, together 

 with members for the 38th Congress. The 

 election, after a very exciting canvass, resulted 

 in a complete change of parties in the State. 

 The Legislature- had passed the bill districting 

 the State for the choice of members of Congress 

 under the census of 1860. This State had forty 

 representatives under the census of 1830, thirty- 

 four under that of 1840, thirty-three under 

 that of 1850, and now thirty-one under that 

 of 1860. She will of course have but thirty- 

 three electors of President in the next three 

 presidential elections. 



