Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-07-09
IMORNTNGsaLEKDER.
A Refuge OfLies.
[FrOm the New York TrIhune..l

LFrom the New York Tribune.l H
The career Of the late corsalr Alabsmi
was probably the most stupendous and sys
tematic fraud ON record. @
1. She professed to be Rebel or Confed
crate in origin und impulse, but was built
with money subscribed or contributed fol
the purpose by British enemies Of our
Union.
2. She was built as a peaceful merchant
man, being all the time intended for no
other use than that to which she was de-
voted. ssT I-EITE E1U
3. She stole out of Liverpool, where
she was built, on pretence of making
trial trip, wholly unarmed, and with ladies
on board to cover the deception.
4. A peremptOry order from the gov
ernment for her detention, based on proof
furnished by our Minister and Consul of
her true character, was treaeherously de-
tanned on The way, so as to preclude its re-
eeption in season to stop her her mana
gers being meantime privately advised
that she must make herself scarce.
8. Though called Confederate, she new
er dared enter a Confederate port never
was under the protection of a Confederate
shore battery; and never had even a tenth
part of her crew composed of native or
even naturalized citizens Of the Confeder-
acy. She was British built with British !
money, of British timber and iron. armed
wholly with British guns, and manned by |
a British crew, and never fred cartridge |
that was not Of British materialsand man |
ufacture.
z. Though fugitive from British JUS |
tice and fagrant violator of British law. |
she has been everywhere welcomed aud |
feted IN British ports, and has sailed over
all seas, robbing and burning our merchant
vessels by the help ofthe coal, provisions
&c, which have been ready for
her in every British harbor. ts
8. Though calling herself a National
ship of war, she has shrunk from eneoun-
-ers with all such, save when off Calves
.sh she decoyed the Hatteras (half her
lzel under her guns by hosting the Brit
So 1og and declaring herself the British
yunboat Petrel 49,
9. She was, in spite ofall pretenses, in
ip-top condition, as one of her officers tel
graphed to Liverpool after the fight 9Th.
labama was in first-rate trim"
10 She was a sixth larger than the
Aearsage (l,2OO tuns to l,O3l > had eight
uns to our seven aud full crew of $50 ,
1en, which was at least equal and prob
bly, superior to our number, as she was
nabled to work her guns much faster than
ufs were fired
II. Semmes fought the Kearsaee only
eeause he could not help it. Mr.. DAYTON
aa protested against the shelter and aid
iven to the corsair in a friendly harbor.
nq the French Government had felt con-
trained TO order him out of port. Yet
here lay the Kearsage off the mouth Of
he harbor and, % get out the Alabama
lust fight. So she made virtue of ne
esSity, and steamed out. - 0L
Y. She chose her own time and dis
ance, opening fire first, and shortening the
istance at pleasure. If Semmes had
hdsen to lay his vessel aboard of the
-earsage, the maneuver would have been
But he found ii hot enough
there he was.
~. The Alabama was thoroughly rid
leg, disabled and demolished. and Semmes
as glad 70 surrender his shin to save his
fe and she went down with her Aop
.rJick- He escaped capture through Rrit7
h partiality, apd. is this hour riSbtfIIIlv
aptaln Wmslow's prisoner. The Deer
-N@ ~ i5uL " sleAl away with g 4
art of our spoils of victory, and did ii bv
Il. Semmes pretense that Captain
Vihslow tried to sink his craft or her
rev after she had surrendered is refuted
y the log ofthe Deerhound, his virtual alIv
-. And, as if he had not vet lied
a10Gfgh upon reaching England, days one
.. MS petty officers in a statement TO The
IeWs.
captain Semmes anxiously asked what
le people OF England thought of the South;
nd that slavery,there existed but in name;
od that the North and South would never
gain be united
We never heard this matched but once
nd then in Captain Marryat's tale. where
most inveterate and immeasurable liar
as dying and, being warned that the
oise ne was making was the death-rattlei
hls throat, gasped QUITE No" 1 have
noYn a man live six weeks making that
oise and there his voice failed him for ]