Maysville weekly bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1864-1866, 1864-08-18
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 8
The world and Capt. semmes.

=, The New York World declaims against
Capt. Semmes with q violenos of abuse as
might tempt its readers to suppose that Its
language was inspired by personal rsncor.-
If such be not the case, we would whisper
in the spirit of all kindliness into the ear of
| the World. that palpable calmness injure
their retainer, not the object of their NAL
evidence, and that vulgar vituperation Is not
convincing eloquence.
| The World seemingly writhing at an effort
at abuse, bedaubs Semmes with the coarse
epithets of brigand, freebooter, pirate and
cut-throst, all of which titles the editor
knows to be as little applicable to Ssmmes
as to the virulent writer h..uself.
lie knows that the Alabama was legal
cruiser. The Confederate States being
recognized as belligersnts had as much
right to commissian a lawful cruiser to be
protected, as such, by the laws of nations !
as to bring soldiers into the field. The Ala
bama was, it is acknowledged, regularly
commissioned. But says some wseaore,
the Alabama was never in Confede rate
port and was manned by foreigners; and
therefore, cannot be regarded as Confed-
crate ship. Iustead of replying by argu-
ment. we shall answer by precedent In
our revolutionary war, the Richard was q
French ship, fitted out in French ports
manned by q foreign crew, commissioned
by our representative at the French COURT
and placed under the command of Paul
Jones as an American ship. It never enc
tered an American port. Surely the editor
Of the World woul not designate the Rich.
ard pirate, or denounce her commander az
freebooter and cut-throat. :
The title of fire ebooter and robber seems
to have been imposed on Semmes because
in many instances, he burned his prizes.-
For the justification of his practice there are
not only precedents, but continuous line Of
practice. Nothing has been more common
than for the captor to destroy his prize, when
he was hopeless of getting her into port
where her might be sdjudicated.- -
There was no port, to which Semmes could
send his prizes, and consequently perforcs
be destroyed many, others he held to ram
som of doubtful payment.
From vituperation the World ventures on
something like covert sneer. It says that
the captain after marauding over the seasS
assailing only defenceless merchantm en- was
whipped by the first armed foe no encoun-
tered. Does the World rem ember the
frigate Essex, commanded by the most GAL
liant spirit that ever brought glory on the
American navy? Well, the indomitable
Porter eve make no comparisens) spent two
years nearly in the Pacific, for the purpose
OF destroying the British whaling Interest," lE
that part of the world; he had nought to at.
tack but unarmed whaers, those he cap
tured in succession till none were left. He
was defeated and taken the first time he
encountered an armed force. Here Is q
striking parallel. and yet the World would
hardly have the impudence to sneer at Com.
Porter for attacking unarmed vessels, and
sometimes even destroying his prizes and
surrendering to the first armed force thst
assailed him.
The term cut-throst as applied to Semmess
is not only confessedly false but is so CO arse
that, though it might accord in style With
the vulgar rant of Parson Brownlow should
not have appeared in the columns of thS
World.
The World represents man as a harden
ed ruffisn, who where known, aud he was
well known here, has always been regarded
as an exemplary christian, an able scholar
and polished gentleman. :.
We are no apologist for Semmes himself
or for the cause which he embraced. While
we condemn the rebellion and its agents,
we think the reprobation may be expressed
without the Intervention of lying slang; in
the language of that courteous dignitys be-
coming a Democratic Journal. Low abuse
and deliberate misrepresentation we should
leave to the Republican journals Wash
ington Union.