DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washington, May 31,
1862.
MEMORANDUM.]
Mr. Mercier called upon Mr. Seward informally to speak of
some irritation among the consuls at New Orleans, resulting from irregularities
and severities reported to have been practiced by Major-General Butler toward
them on the occasion of his taking military possession of that city. Mr.
Mercier said that he had not called now to present any complaint on the part of
the French consul, and explanations which had been already made by General
Butler perhaps would relieve him of any necessity for doing so.
Mr. Seward said that he had seen newspaper reports of the
occurrence at New Orleans, but as yet had received nothing official either from
any representative of any foreign Government or from the War Department. But he
had had no hesitation about interposing in the matter at once.
Yesterday, after a brief conversation with Lord Lyons, when
the subject was first brought to his notice, he had procured orders from the
Secretary of War to Major-General Butler directing him to refrain from
practicing any severities or strictness of doubtful right toward any consul or
subject of any foreign power, which orders had been already transmitted.
To-day it had been decided to devolve the civil government
of New Orleans upon a provisional military Governor, who would proceed with the
utmost dispatch to New Orleans and relieve General Butler of civil
administration there.
Mr. Seward said that he had already appointed a commissioner
for the State Department, of distinguished ability and character, to proceed to
New Orleans as speedily as possible and inquire and take evidence of the
transactions which have occurred there in which any complaint of violation of
consular rights, privileges, and courtesies has arisen under the administration
of General Butler, to redress any such clear violation which he may ascertain
to have occurred, by making restitution, and in every other case to make full
report to the Secretary of State for his decision thereupon.
SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of
the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series III, Volume
2 (Serial No. 123), p. 131
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