The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-05-06
nous applause, and the second regular toasi
w. den Rad:
Jefferson Davis and his speedy Liberia

mops appliance ana tne secona rseasat hsss
Jefferson Davis and his speedy Liberia
| tion.n
| Major St. Paul rose TO answer to this toast,
| and did it in I few hrief words, referring 70
the past services Of Mr.. Davis 70 tAs Anerir-
can Union to his heroic courage; to his
masterly eloquence and his private virtures
| He spoke briefly of the attempted revelation.
| insugurated by the South in yindication Of
the principles Of 1776, and the doctrines ad-
vocated and upheld By the founders of this
nation. In the attempt to carry out those
sacred principles, the South had placed Mr..
Davis at their head, not from his own choice,
but in obedience to their own will, and the
crime, If crime it be, to seek redress and fee
from insult and oppression, wss the crime Of
the South, and not his.
The Major spoke in hopeful terms of the
expected liberation of Mr.: Davis, and ex-
pressed the opinion that President johnson
would not add the blood of martyr to the
long catalogue of victims already made by
the civil war just now closed. These re-
marks were favorably received by the meet
ing.
SPEECH OF RAPHAEL sEMMEs.
Admiral Raphael Semmes, the guest of the
sad yet pleasant feast, was called on in answer
to the toast, "Our honored guest.
When the Admiral rose, a burst of applause
broke forth from the crowd, which nothing
could suppress, and for few minutes it was
impossible to control the enthusiastic feeling
which governed these brave youths at the
sight OF their cherished guest and favorite
hero.
The Admiral himself. calm though he
might be on the deck Of his ship, when all
around him was in flames and his vessel fast
G., ~lo,, 4 IL Qv,s,
mons firing the last salutes in honor OF the
sinking craft, the Admiral seemed to lose
faith in himself, and twice attempted to take
his seat but slowly recovering he comInenc-
| ed his response in slow. low and melodloas
voice, which, as he proceeded, rose in vol
ume and tone, as the gentle breeze which list
lessly swells the lazy canvas soon lashes itself
into the furious gale which tears to shreds
the over strained sails and sweeps away the
ponderous masts.
In feGcitous terms, and with dubious
smile on his lips, he spoke Of the fattering
but rather pressing invitation he had received
to visit Washington on sprivate business.
He related his arrival and stay at the Capitol
in the capacity of ''guest Of the nation =
how we'll cared for he was, and how his per-
| sonal safety was so zealously watched and
guarded, the Secretary of the Navy having
kindly assigned picked squad of marines to
that delicate duty. He said that conscious of
having at no time violated the usages Of war,
| he felt strong in his innocence, but a re-
! signed Christian was submssively bowling
| his head under the passing storm.
He was soon encouraged by his counsel,
who had almost daily access to the President,
and from him came words of hope, which
soothed his mental torments at being separat-
ed from his beloved family and devoted
| friends.
| He spoke without even the shadow Of re-
sentiment of the efforts made to take up against
! him any evidence that could stamp him as a
pirate and make him odious to the eyes Of
| the world How monitions were sent TO
every quarter to invite denunciations, nsti-
gate false charges, induce perjury-how these
monitions were answered ty fabricated state
ments of cruelties practiced at sea-how
names were given Of passengers and crew
| cast out at sea to perish or be devoured by
cannibals-and how the very individuals thus
reported as the victims of his feroclty, quiet
| ly answered in person the summons to appear
''by proxy of their ghost.
! He dwelt on the liberahty of the President
| in the difficulties that assailed him. of the
peril of his situation, surrounded by the hos
tile array of Radicals and demagogues, but
yet expressed undying faith in his irmness,
| hio SOuiuSCf Hio eutcut diid ms ilHdi
over the enemies of the country and Consti-
tu,ional freedom.
To the President and to him alone, had
the Admiral appealed for justice, and to him
alone was he Indebted for that tardy justice
which, however, the momentous events Of the
| last period could not allow to be rendered
| him sooner.
| The Admiral spoke of the prospects of the
county with the wisdom and provision of a
statesman. and on who has not, in the midst
of the tempestuous scenes OF ocean life. lost
| sight of those studies which elevate the in
| teleet and purify the mind.
Silence reigned throughout the whole time,
| but when the gallant tar took his seat the
widest enthusiasm pervaded the whole as
| sembiy.
! Cheers after cheers followed s'tigersn were
let loose and rockets Kissed through the air,
the whole being increased tenfold when it
was proposed the people OF Mobile should
reward the survivor of the glorious Alabama
| with token of public esteem by electing
him Probate Judge.
/ We should have mentioned that in the
course OF his remarks the Admiral stated that
after all it was discovered that the only crime
he had committed was that while struggling
for life against the waves of Cherbourg Bay,
and on the point Of sinking forever, he should
have swan toward his enemies, who were far
away, rather than to his friends, who were
| near.