From New Orleans.
New Orleans papers as late as the 9th inst. have been received. There is not much in the New Orleans papers except extracts from the papers of New York. The editor of the See had taken a stroll in the second district, without seeing much that was cheerful in that once lively quarter.--"He missed," he says, "the flowers and the joyous sports of children, which used to make it so pleasant and attractive to the idle stroller." The Picayune man has found something and on the levee. He says:‘ A walk on the leves, the grand quay, the grand reception, the great concentration, that was, of the citizens and inhabitants of nine-tenths of the commercial world, at this time presents to our old habitues food and aliment, as it were, for reflection and contrast. We who have for a quarter of a century or more, had the arrival of steam boats by the score, laden deep with the rich and varied productions of the Southwest, and the stapler of the great and teeming West, feel somewhat paralyzed with the contrast now presented by taking a cursory walk or view on the great levee of New Orleans, the great transactions on which, at this season of the year, have been recorded over and over again by visitors from all parts of the commercial world. A short promenade yesterday on the grand quay or levee revealed thus six or seven small steamboats discharging light cargoes of sugar and molasses, and receiving on board some few dray loads of provisions and general plantation supplies for points and landings on the Mississippi, below Baton Rouge.
A dozen of droghers or coasting vessels were also engaged in the same movements. There were some sales of sugar and molasses. There were also fifteen or twenty vessels loading with machine in greater or smaller quantitation. There were three or four dray loads of cotton wending the way to Northern markets. There were also many Northern notions landing and offering for sale from vessels, as in former times; but we regret we can not allude or talk of the scores of splendid and capacious ships receiving cotton at the rate of ten thousand bales per day. This was a satisfaction [it would have been] denied us in a brief pedestrian movement on the great levee of the Crescent city yesterday.
Gen. Banks has issued an order prohibiting the "foreclosure of mortgages, or instruments that are so by their effects, and sales under foreclosures as against loyal citizens having interest in the subject matter, whether as owners, mortgagers, or otherwise. " Also, one forbidding the forced sale under execution of the property of loyal citizens owning or working plantations — though this prohibition does not affect contracts that may be made subsequent to the date of the order.
Low middling cotton was quoted at 60 cents--The sales were very small. Extra flour was going at $11, first quality beeves were selling at 25 cents per pound net.
There was a case before the U. S. Provisional Court. Judge Peabody, of some interest. Lucien Adams, shortly after the advent of Butler, was arrested and imprisoned in one of the forts, where be has been ever since. His counsel, Col. Field, had made repeated, but unavailing efforts for a trial or admission to bail. The only crime which the accused had committed was merely the avowal, before the occupation of the city by Yankee, of a preference for the Southern Confederacy. Subsequently other charges, such as heading or promoting a conspiracy, &c., were trumped up, but no proof had been advanced. How the case terminated the report does not say, but judging from the seal of the prosecuting attorney, not, we imagine, to the benefit of the prisoner.
’ From a New Orleans letter in the Grenada (Miss.) Appeal, we take the following gossip of interest:
‘ When Banks first came here with his great expedition, that highly intellectual class, the Northern merchants, expected that Vicksburg would fall, and the navigation of the Mississippi would be certainly opened. Acting upon this anticipation, they have shipped here enormously. The consequence is, the market is so glutted with everything that goods are ten per cent, lower than in New York, and is so fluctuating that often the difference is fifteen per cent. All that have been sent have been thrown into the auction rooms, and no sale takes place except at auction. No sale can be forced save at enormous sacrifices, perishable articles not even paying their freight. One large house, last week, re-shipped 500 bbls. of flour to New York. Those who have not been obliged to sell have stored their goods, and every warehouse is crowded. Molasses was shipped to New York at the low freight of 70 cents per bbl. The freight to New York is a mere nothing — sugar being only $2 per hhd., and everything in proportion. Here, hams sell at 10 to 14 cents; butter 20 to 28 cts; bacon shoulders 7 to 8 cts, potatoes $1.99, and other things in proportion.
Banks has been so much more stringent in preventing intercourse with the Confederates that the little trade Butler permitted to his favorites Banks has stopped, and when be does grant a permit, a few miles out of the city it is not respected. Certain parties here shipped goods upon a permit from Banks to Baton Rouge. As soon as they arrived there they were seized by some of the officers, who declared they only recognized orders from Washington.
Banks's first interview with Butler has not been noticed in any of our papers that I have seen, and I must give you a sketch of it as I had it from--;never mind who. Butler advanced towards Banks with his usual graceful empressement, and begged him, during his stay in New Orleans, to come to his house, as he had rooms already prepared for him. Banks replied he would remain at the St. Charles Hotel, as he did not choose to live in confiscated houses. He then drew his official documents, informing Butler that he was superseded; a fact, they say, of which he had not dreamed. He took it with great coolness. In the evening some of the fallen hero's friends called upon him. The scene presented in his parlor beggars description — There sat the lady of the stolen mansion, her face very long and very doleful.
His brilliant staff surrounded him, brilliant no longer. Alas, visions of detected rascality fixated before them — visions, they say, fully realized.--Clark, of the Butler Delta was there, resembling a punctured balloon, from which the gas was rapidly exhaling. French was there. He is now positively superceded, though it is not publicly announced. His brilliant financial arrangement with Bryant's gambling saloon — in which that house, besides its regular license fee — paid five hundred dollars per month to French, which was never accounted for. Of all Gen. Benjamin F. Butler's brilliant staff the only one whose hands are clear is Col. Stafford, who is really an honest man. He was compelled to take his present position for refusing to assist his political friends in stealing.
Our streets are filled with a great quantity of crinoline, and to a stranger would look as usual, but indeed it is not so, for rarely do you meet on Canal street with a familiar face. Our ladies do not go out much; the stores are almost deserted, and none of them are importing. The handily dressed feminines are Yankee women. How different they look with their brilliant and badly blended colors, their long, striding, masculine walk, from our own graceful and languid belles, who never raise their eyes and stare a man in the face till he feels himself blush under his whiskers, but just raising their lid give one timid glance, but oh, a glance of such electric power! One of the most brilliant of our belles, the other day, assured me that she had not been on dear, delightful Canal street for at least six weeks, and what think you was her reason? (Oh, gallants of Louisiana, your reward will surely be great and glorious!) They were--first, that at a meeting of belles it was resolved that, as all the men of New Orleans had gone to fight for their freedom, it behooved not the maids to waste their sweetness on those who have ignored every call of honor and duty and basely remained at home. That, as the brave were making sacrifices, the coward should be shown how the absent can be remembered.
The Picayune describes the Union meeting of Saturday night as large and enthusiastic, but neglects to state the nature of the crowd. We who have no fear will state that it was composed of Yankees, Dutch and negroes, who applauded enthusiastically and appreciatively their white "brethren." The principal speakers were T. J. Durant and Col. Fields. The former is described as speaking passionately. When did we who know him ever see that cold, unsympathetic nature kindled to passion? The voracious Col. Field enlightened the meeting as to the cause of the war, and amused his intelligent audience by holding up to their ridicule those whom he honored by the title of the leaders of this rebellion. This is the same Col. Fields who a few months ago, when his loyalty to our cause was questioned, wrote from his sick bed that affecting letter, in which he indignantly asked his accusers "how they could believe that his heart was otherwise than with us, when his life had been passed here, his children born here, and here was his property." So much for consistency and truth.
Our winter has, for some of our population. I regret to say, been quite a gay one. Certain portions of them have been so far carried away by the attention of the French, English, and Spanish officers, that they have absolutely imitated the Northern fashion of lionizing them to their hearts' content, though, I fear, discontent of their purses. I absolutely blush to say it, but this winter king and queen parties have been much the rage. In these parties the king always pays the expenses. One or the other of the captains of the foreign ships has always been chosen king, and for that honor has paid all the expenses of an entertainment given at the house of some one lady, she always receiving any credit that might be attached to the party and escaping the expense.
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