Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-01-16

gencer, with the following letter written by
RAPHAEL SEMMEs, late commander of the
Rebel cruiser Alabama, and now awaiting
trial in Washington, written by him in Au-
gust last, to his brother, Samuel NJ. Semmes,
at Cumberland, Nd:
MOBILE, ALA, Aug. 10, 1865.
NY Dear BrOther :r-1hc cessation of the
war leaves me at liberty to renew my cores
pondence with you, without subjecting you
to suspicion and annoyance and L need not
say to you how grateful to the yeurnings of
my heart is this long suspended privilege
You have been frequently in my thoughts
during our unfortunate struggle, and have
often felt much solicitude on your account,
lest part Of the odum and ill-will which
Jealous performance Of my duty has called
down upon my head from Z" mad nation "
should attach to you and your family, and
operate to your injury. Indeed, have no
doubt but that the prejudice against me was
the secret Of the barbarous and malignant
persecution of your son, of which l heard
only few days since from my wife's friend
aud relation, Mrs. Judge Spencer, of Gin
cinnati. L have never inquired as to your
opinions and conduct during the war, being
content to leave you the same liberty Of choice
and action that claimed Tor myself l knew
that whatever you did, you would do like
man of honor, and l rested satisfied. Be-
| sides, you had been sometime retired from
active lie by your want of health. AS for
myself, | have nothing to regret, save only
! the loss of ourindcpendence. My conscience
| which is the only earthly tribunal Of which
good man should he afraid, bea"5 me Wit
ness Of the uprightness Of my intention in
| choosing my course when, with many regrets,
! | severed my connection with the old gov-
crnncnt and fastened to the defence of my
home and section and now, upon reviewing
the whole of my subsequent career, | can see
no act with which to rcproach myself as un-
becoming man Of honor and u gentleman.
| approved the secession movement of the
Southern States, though [ had no agency in
it Thought that separation of these two
sections Of our Republic, which had been
engaged in deadly moral conflict for thirty
| years, would ultimately result to the great
| advantage of them both. The world was
wide enough for them to live apart, and peace,
| | thought, would he the fruit Of their mutual
indel Gndencc of each other. Although |
cared very little about the institution of siafa:.
| ry, thought that the subordinate position of
the inferior race was its proper position. L
believed that the doctrine of State Rights
was the only doctrine which would save our
Republic from the fate of all other Republics
world. l believed that this doctrine had
been violated, and that it would never be
sufficiently respected by the controlling mass
es Of the Northern section to prevent them
from dctacing with sacriligous hands our
national bond Of Union whcrcSoever its letter
was meant to guard the peculiar rights of the
South. Believing this, there was but one
course which faithful Southern man could
pursue, and maintain his sclf-respcct pur-
sued that course. When the alternative was
presented to me of adlte"ing to the allegiance
due to my State or to the United States,
chose the former. Having taken my side, L
gave it Jealous and earnest support | spent
four years in active SERVICE and only ceased
to labor for my cause when it was no longer
possible. l rendered this service without
ever having treated prisoner otherwise than
humanely, and l may say, often kindly, and
without ever having committed an act of war,
at any time or in any manner, which was not
sanctioned by the laws Of war; yet my name
will 60 down to poStcrity in the untruthiul
histories that will be wfitts'i b bigotsd and
vcnal historians as a sort Of Blue Beard or
Capt kidd.,.. But / am content, my brother.
My conscience is clear; nv sclfrespcct is pre-
served, and my sense of rtilhood remains
unimpaired. | think, too, the South will be
content, notwithstanding her immense losses
and sacrifices. If she had yielded to the in
tolerant cXactiOns of Northern sclfshncss and
tanaticism, without appealing to the arbitra-
ment of war, she would have played craven
and unworthy part. 1t is better to lose every
thing than our honor and manhood know
you will believe me, my brother, when tell
you that | should feel greatly humbled in my
own opinion were this day entitled to wear
an Admirals flag i'll the old navy, and in
possession of all the mcar,s and appliances
OF wealth, if thought my honors and re-
wards had been gained by sacrifice Of creed
The preservation Of my own sclfrcspect is
infinitely preferable to all such gains.
! have come out of.tEe war poor but, God
willing, l shall make a support for my FAM
ily The President treats me as an outlaw,
unworthy Of amnesty. L have nothing to
say. If am deemed unworthy to be a citi-
zen, l can remain in my native land as an
alien. y magnauimous people would have
passed an act of general amnesty, it being
absurd and ridiculUuOs to talk about Rebels
and traitors in connection with such a revolu-
ton as has swept over the length and breadth
OF this land, in Which States, and not iidivid-
uals merely, were the actors But enough
Of this sulie [ am still in Mobile, but it
is yet uncertain where l shall 20, or what l
shall do. If save tiTe or six thousand doll
lars out of the wreck of my affairs, it will be
fully as much as expect. think of retiring
into the country, where, upon small farm,
l can live iii obscUrity and peace the few
years that remain to me. My children are
all "rcwn; ar3 well educated, and will be able,
ii the worst comes by the worst, to take care
Of themselves
Remember me kindly to your family, my
dear brother, and let me hear from you We
have b2coms cid men. We have had both
our troubles, but the chain of affection which
binds me to you remains unaffected by the
cares of the world, and is bright now as
when we Slpnt in o,cl,