The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-11-25
Speech OF Captain ElnsIOM, OF the
keaFsarge.

!
KesFSarge.
At the banquet to Captain WinsloW,
in Boston, on the 18th inst, the recipi-
ent Of the compliment made the fol-
lowing speech
Captain Winslow, in commencing, ar
gued that the action with the Alabama
was a service of little hardship COM
pared with the duties Of blockading
the Southern coast IN midwinter, and
il was soon over But, said he, agree
with the President, that il was Of vast
! consequence to the whole country.
| When We entered Brest, which We did
because we had heard that the Florida
was there, we found all around US moth
ing else but Secession feeling The
| French people, with their chivalrie
character, knowing of the issue, sym
psthized with the weaker party. l re-
/ ceived letter after letter from the
! American Minister, telling me l was
doing this thing and that thing con-
trary to the neutrality of France.
" had been cOndensing water, and
il was telegraphed that we had steamed
up, ready 10 60 after the Florida
/ Down canlela letter from the American
! Minister, stating that he understood
we were all ready TO run after the Flor
/ ida l replied that it was very poor
! economy TO keep steam up, inasmuch
as l knew the Florida coutd not 90 to
1 sea in thirty days. While in this situ~
alton we received a telegram from the
/ American Minister that the Georgia
had passed the Tague and was on her
/ way up the channel And / must say
that I never knew anything like the
weather. It seemed to me that the
/ very tempests were let loose, and left
| the port of Brest at a time when the
| admiral had drawn chains across the
inner channel, and had given orders
/ that 40 vessel should go OUT bat tod
them the Kearsarge must so out The
pilot would not 20 out, but came on
| board when we were about mile out
to get his money l gave 1t him, and
took the ship out myself
We could not find the Georgia, and
went into Queenstown In q tremendous
gale. The British Admiral sent to say,
Sir, you must leave the port in twenty
four hours | went TO see the Admi- |
raj, and, after lighting for three or four
hours about international law, he turn
ed round and said, Won't you dine
wi.h me tonight? thank you,
sir" / replied, II require twenty -four
hours n0tica." We'd, gentlemen, we |
returned to Brest, and, in q short time, |
we were ordered out and we had to |
blockads Brest in that season. season |
which for inclemency has not been
equalled for years.
Captain w here spoke Of the letters |
he lad received from our cOnsuls at
Havre, London, and Paris, full of |
gloom, aud warming him that the /
Georgia was at CheroOurg, and would
come 10 help the Florida he wrote |
back, Cheer up l have written to the /
commuters OF both the Georgia and 4
the Florida, that, notwithstanding their 1
riii-d guns, if they want TO come toge- |
Their, will permit them, aud never FIRE |
q gun until they had joined each other
That settled that question.
Want OF provisions compelled him 10 |
90 TO Cadiz, and when be returned to
The Channel he found the Florida had
got away, and that large number of
American vessels were in different ports |
afraid to sail, because Secesh agents had |
circulated in all the papers stories that |
the Florida, Alabama, and Georgia were |
here, there, and everywhere, and be 1
sent word to English, Dutch, and !
French ports, and spent loag period |
in keeping open the Channel, without /
a pilot, and in many fierce gales
Finally, when | was in Holland, re
ceived telegram from our Minister,
that the Alabama had put into CherN
bourg 1 immediately telegraphed him
that / should be there the day after.
We sailed that night, and in thirty six
hours afterwards We put our nose into
one Of the entrances Of Cherbourg,
where We lay until the Alabama came
OUT Gentlemen, the depression of
feeling among Americans in Europe
was great at that time the Secesh
boosted Of t4ir picked gunners from
the Excellent and Of their intention TO
make another pirate Of the Kearsarge.
But when the Alabama was sunk, light
broke in on loyal Americans in Europe,
and c0ngratulatOry letters came pour
ing in Oh me, saying " God bless you
Ii We could only embrace youl IT We
could only kiss you If you could only
know what depressed men we have
been--hOw we have been oppressed and
down trodaen, and realizs how the
weight has been removed, and we can
lift our hands, You would know what q
debt OF gratitude we owe to you"
That victory has placed our country
in position in England and France
such as we have never held before since
the commencement Of the war. Prior
to that fight nearly every other day,
the Kearssrge and her officers, myself
in particular, were attacked by the
London Times, and attacked in Parlia~
menL Oar friend Lord Dunmore, or
Don { know more, or whatever his name {
may b., made it mis- especial object TO |
attack Us WHen l entered the Thames
| sent 10 Mr. Adams request that l
mighgbe permitted 70 enter the docks
for the purpose of repair. That was
in accordance with her M-jestys procla |
nation, aud in accordance with Ell
quette. / proceeded up the Thame',
and entered tAe docks, and went on
working-wOrking, making our repairs
But four days AFTER l received q note
from Dir Adams, saying that Earl Rus
sell had sent letter to him, complain
ing Of my going on and making repairs
without PERMISSION reph.d that
permission was given in her Mejesty's
uroclanaAtiOn Well, be did not exactly
coincide with me IN nay views of what
l considered 70 DO my rights, and the
dexC day be replied 10 me that he bad I
received another letter from Earl Rus !
sell, from which he was obliged % say
that be desired I should proceed TO sea,
With repairs or witaOut repairs Well, |
[ replied the next day thai begged ne
would give cay compliments 10 Earl
Russell. and say that did not intend
any omission in poiots OF etiquette, but
inasn Icn - had made all my repairs,
! was now out Of the dock, and was go
ing % sea
The Captain closed with returning
thanks 70 ell present, and With toasting l
the health OF inc President OF the {
L nited mates.
A RENAzEA8Ls CRassE--One Of the
most significant Of the many changes
OF opinion Of that prOyerbial weather =
cock, the London Times, Is furnished