The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-12-12
THE PIRATE ALABAMA"
Lecture by Buccaneer scmmes, Her Conn
mander,

mander.
From the Gdiveston (7eras) Bulletin December 8.
The Court House was thronged last night with
the most fashionable audience that we have seen
assembled since the war. Whatever of wealth in.
and it's neighbor, Houston, was fairly represented
on the occasion OF Admiral Semmes' lecture Ali
S tnS sOS% 70 w0I1 S0Ha %eTe and many
Tor, IKE the Apostolic boat, the auditorium would
Colonel Lawher introduced Mr. Semmes, as the
"distingulshed hero and patriot, Raphael Semmes."
Fellow. Citizens ;-As on have been told by my
friend, have been invited to deliver of course
OF lectures. Every one is to be believed in his own
art, which may be paraphrased, no one to be be-
heved but in his own art. This is not my art. am
not accuB Omed to the lecture.room. "Othellos"
oeG!upnion Is gone 90 not propose 70 toueh any
Of the AtdbamG as viewed In the light of history
and American precedents Your invitation found
me at my home endeavOriDg TO restore our State
TO her place in the Federal Union without tarnish-
A little while back we were all engaged, heart and
soul, In n mighty war; now are engaged with
equal earnestness in the pursuits Of peace. The
plete, They must expect to be condemned and de-
sDsed in their day. A philosopher never quarrels
OF all our prominent leaders Instead Of giving way
to useless repning, they are acting with tact and
talent in al, the walks OF honest labor.
Men OF one generation make history, men of
another write it. lhe actors in conflict such as IS
passed are disqualified from being it, historians 1t
IS TO put on record some facts regarding the Ad5dmd
that speak tonight. ! propose to show to you
that she was not pirate, prva eer or a buccaneer,
but the recognized ship, wearing the coors of
state, by the laws of nations On the land an
enemy might overrun country without destroying
land is forbidden Not so on tie sea. fhep destruc-
ton OF commerce in ancient times was slow o.
cess. The war between the Confederate and the
since the Introduction of steam
The alabama had warrant for what she did, both
in the laws of nations and OF the United States She
was built abroad. The United States has made the
British origin Of the alabama constant source OF
complaint She was built by the Lairds. The
United States Government endeavored to contract
with this same firm to build ships for them. (Mr
Semmes here read extracts from MIR. Laird's speech
in the House of Commons, already published, aud
ii the alabama was built in violation OF the neu-
rality law, that was question between the United
States ana England. From the moment the Con-
ederates were recognized as belligerents they had
iull right TO make war in every particular. The
Unite States acknowledged this IN the first months
OF the war In support OF this proposition the
that if the United States could buy ships the Con.
fec crate States could do the same. The speaker
then quoted Justice GrIer's decision in the prize
cases, reported in Second B ack Reports" laying
great stress on the PASSAGE ~ not necessary that
Mr.. Semmes entered largely into the history of
the South American States, ella ming that their
cruisers captured prizes and ca carried RE them into
Confederate States recognized and entitled to
all the sovereign rights of war Generals Grant and
Generals OF an army. Allusion was here made to
the circumstances of the speakers parole, and to
the fact that he was described bo h as an Admiral
and General. johnson and sherman treated with
each other equals We laid down our arms in
consideration that the safety of our persons should
be guaranteed. When General Grant wrote his let.
ter TO General Lee he recognized us as soldiers under
The speaker, here drew parallel between the
REVOLUTION and the Confederate States, II what the
Colonies did was right when they did it, what the
Confederate States did was right when they dd it,
Tho acknowledgment of American independence
by England made no dlftrence because whatever
rights they had they received because of their Gov
einments de tIcto and not de jure.
The speaker here quoted from Fennimore Cooper's
Naval History" "The Exploits OF Paul Jones'"
and other American privateers, asserting that the
co onial privateers DESTROYED their priz at sea,
and arguing that they had less warrant than he
had. The whole coast was blockaded, and the
burning OF prises was necessity that he could not
AVOID. Ihe colonies less than a century ago, did
those very things which they now charge on us as
crimes.
Passing to the commissioners appointed by the
co onies-Silas Dean, DR.. Franklin, and John
and Messrs SlldeA and Mason.
The career OF the Surprise Captain Cunningham,
colonial cruiser, was then quoted as precedent Of
Charles Francis Adams complained that the Con.
fe6erate States had commissioners in England car
~ ng on naval bureau The Colonial CommIs
manner were the Revenge, RepriSai, Lexington, and
Dolphin obtained.
foreigners Misunderstanding that this wa no valid
of joction, since Paul Jones had motley crew on
board the Bon HomRe Richard
The speaker concluded thus:-The alabama vas
rot new construction save that she was a steam
vessel DIR. Frank in and his compeers constructed
4, manned good many AtabGmGS in their day.
W hat our sires did their sons may do. Iu other
generations the history OF the North will be the
history Of the South By the philosophy of history
am willing to be judged If the philosophy of his
tory embalms the struggles of the colonial States,
so will 1t em6alm the struggles OF the Confederate
States. II il records approvinglY the exploits OF
the Surprise and the Re0euge, so will 1t record the