The Daily Dispatch: March 21, 1863., [Electronic resource]

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More facts for the Admirers of Gen. Butler,
[from the New York world, March 11.]

We have a dozen pigeon holes filled with affidavits and statements like the following, showing the outrageous corruption of General Butler's rule in New Orleans. We commend these facts (the name of the person responsible for them is at the service of any person who has a right to inquire) to those members of the New York Legislature who desired to give Gen. Butler the honors of the capital:

During the month of August, 1862, I was authorized by Gen. B. F. Butler to search all vessels going across the lines with goods under permit from Col. Jones H. French, Provost Marshal General. On examination. I found them loaded with all kinds of merchandize, principally groceries, salt, and whiskey. I reported them, and brought the parties before Gen. Butler, when he allowed them to pass. I afterwards ascertained that his brother, Col. Butler, was interested, or the parties had purchased the passes from Col. French, some paying as high as 1,000 in gold for them.

I was employed as chief detective, at that time, of a separate department, under the control of Col. S. H. Stafford, Deputy Provost Marshal, who reported to Gen. Butler. Stafford also knows of these goods going across the lines to the rebels; but, on our finding Cols. Butler and French interested, our efforts to stop them were useless; so we gave it up. I know of goods seized by Government being sold, or rather shipped, by officers under Col. French. The captain of the schooner Shepherdess was imprisoned and his vessel confiscated because he wanted to charge $100 more than the contract called for, after seeing the goods were contraband; but, the goods belonging to Col. Butler, were shipped on another vessel and sent across the lines.

I also know that J. J. Bryant, of New Orleans, paid Colonel French ($1,250) twelve hundred and fifty dollars for a certificate of the oath of allegiance, and French received five hundred dollars a month for allowing him to carry on his business. I also know that there was a regular system of selling passes for parties to go across the lines by and with the knowledge of General Butler. I attempted to send documents to Washington, by order of Colonel Stafford, with all these facts, which papers were intercepted by General Butler, and those parties who gave the information were imprisoned. General Butler sent for Colonel Stafford and asked him why he did so, and at that interview Governor Shepley was present, so they cannot say he knew nothing of the transactions going on.

I have also heard that Gov. Shepley shipped some one thousand sacks of salt on his own account, and taxed those shipping $2 a sack. The witnesses to all these transactions can be procured on the sending of an investigating committee down to New Orleans. In my opinion, Col. Butler must have shipped a million of dollars' worth of goods across the lines with passes signed by Col. French, Provost Marshal-General, and Gen. Butler. They brought back turpentine, resin, and lumber in exchange. I know of Gen. Butler sending up to a rebel plantation and seizing all the wines, and having them brought to his house for his own use. All these facts can be proved.

There are men who are imprisoned who have a knowledge of these facts, and there are many more acts which, if there was any investigation of, would startle the public, as regards vessels carrying contraband goods. It can be proved that his brother was the chief owner, during the month of October or November, of a cargo of goods which left New Orleans — worth in New Orleans $30,000--in charge of a man named Clarke, under a pass for Matamoras, but which went to the rebels. This cargo belonged jointly to Clarks and Colonel Butler. Clarke is now in New Orleans, having returned after disposing of the cargo. A man named E. J. P. Thompson also took a cargo over for Colonel Butler, and returned with turpentine and roam. This occurred in February.

Col. French seized the horses and carriages of a French subject, and gave them to a woman of the town, otherwise lewd and abandoned, which she used to ride about the streets with. He also sold a man named Marshall a pass to take goods across the lines to sell, and afterwards arrested him and sent him to Ship Island. Any man who was imprisoned could buy his release who had money, (from $100 to $1,000,) including thieves and burglars. All these things were done, in my opinion, with the knowledge of Gen. Butler, as in many cases he had to sigh his name to the releases. I reported all these facts to Gen. Banks.

My landlady, where I lived, was imprisoned eight days for having a package of papers with a list of vessels which had left New Orleans, and was not released until she gave them up. Those were papers intended for Washington. All these facts are true, and I am willing at any time to swear to them. If planters did not sell Colonel Butler their produce he would have the same confiscated, and he bought at his own price. Cattle were stolen and sent to the city and sold; horses, also, by officers under General Butler. Colonel Stafford has a knowledge of these facts, with many others. Whenever a pass was granted, it was on condition that the goods should be purchased of Colonel Butler, and often twenty per cent extra was charged to pay for the pass.