The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-02-05
Lester from Admiral Semmes to the President

MIR Srmmes has written n long letter to Pre-
sidcnt Johnson, setting forth the grounds upon
which he claims discharge from arrest. The
pith OF II Is in the concluding paragraphs,
which are as follows:
lone more remark, Mr. President, and /
/ will forbear 10 trespass further on your time
and patience. The act Of war for which was
arrested was we'll known 10 the department or
/ tho Government making the arrest ten months
before the convention was entered into at
Greensboro. II was well known 10 the same
department that about the middle OF February,
/ ls6j l was assigned 10 the command OF the
/ James River squadron, near Richmond, with
the rank of a rear admiral: being thus pro-
noted and employed BY my Government after
the alleged Illegal escape oil Cherbourg. II
the Government then entertained the design,
which it has since developed, of arresting and
trying me for this alleged breach OF the laws
OF war, was it not its duty, both 10 itself and
TO me, to have made me an exception 10 any
military terms ii might have been disposed 10
grant 10 our armies putt 10 you Mr.. Pre-
sidcnt, as Il man and magistrate, 10 say, ana
| will rest my case on your answer, whether IL
was consistent with honor and fair dealing Tor
this Government first 10 entrap me by means
Of n military convention, and then, having me
IN its power, 10 arrest me and declare that con-
yention null and void, for the course recon-
mehded TO you by Mr.. Speed comes 10 this
nothing more, nothing less.
II have thus laid before vou, tediously,
fear and yet az Concisely as was consistent with
clsarness, the grOunCs upon when l claim III
your hands, who are the guardian OF the honor
Of 4 great nation my discharge from arrest
and imprisonment. / have spoken freely and
frankly, rs il became an American citizen 10
speak TO the Chief Magistrate Of the American
Republic. We live in times of high party
excitement, when men, unfortunately, are but
too prone 10 take counsel Of their passions
hut passions die. and men die with them,
and after death comes history. In the
future, Mr.. President, when America
shall have a history, my record and that
OF the gallant Southern people Will be
engratted upon, and become part Of your
history, the pages of which You are now act
ing; and the prayer OF this petition is, that you
will not permit the honor Of the American
name TO be furnished by pertidy on those
pages In this prayer l have stood strictly
upon legal def-nces; but should those barriers
be beaten down, conscious of the rectltuue Of
my conduct throughout Il Chequered and event.
ful career, when the commerce OF half 4 world
was ~ nv mercy, and when the passions OF
men North and South We're tossed into 4 whlrl-
wind by the current events of the most bloody
and terrific war that the human race had ever
seen, I shall hope 10 Justify and defend myself
against any and all charges affecting the honor
aud reputation of man and soldier. What
ever else may be said OF me, have, ~ least,
brought no discredit upon the American name
aud character. l au, very respectfully, etc,
"RAPHAEL SEEAEs.
WAsHIsGros CITY, January 10, 1866"