Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1866-12-22
From the Galveston Bulletin, Nov. S. =
THE "ALABAMA" VIEWED IN THE
LIGHT OF HISTORY
LECTURE OF RAPHAEL SEMMES.

= LtLS W - " hhf WIN
told by my friend, l have been invited
to deliver one Of a course of lectures.
Every one is to be believed in his own
art, which may be p~araphased, no one is
to be belived but in bis own art. This is
not my art. | am not accustomed to the
lecture-room. Othcllo's occupation is
gone. Applause. | do not propose to
touch any political subject. | propose
to speak of the history Of the Alabama
as viewed in the light of history and
American presidents. Your invitation
found me at my home, endeavoring to
restore our State to her place in the
Federal Union without furnishing her
honor. A little time back we were all
engaged, heart and soul, in a mighty
war; now we are engaged with equal
earncstnes in the pursuits Of peace. The
architects in our revolution left their
work incomplete. They must expect to
be condemned and despised in their day.
A philosopher never q%uarrels with nature.
This, am happy to say. is the course
of all our prominent leaders. Instead Of
giving way to useless repining, they are
acting with tact and talent in all the
walks of honest labor.
Men of one generation make history !;
men of another write it. The actors in
a conflict, such as is passed, are d~isquali-
fed from beng itSIhistorians. 1t is to put
on record some facts regarding the Ala
bama that | speak to night. 1 propose
to show You that she was not a pirate, a
privateer, or D ~buccaneer, but the recog-
Dized ship, wearing the colors of a State,
by the laws of nations. On the land an
enemy might overrun a country W thout
destroying private property. Destroy
ing private property on land is forbidden.
Not SO on the seas. The destruction of
commerce in ancient times was a slow
process. The war between the Confeder-
ate and the United States was the first
between maritime powers since the intro
duetion 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 a con-
slant 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
lMr. Semmes here read extracts from Mr..
Laird's speech in the House of Commons
already published and we'll known.)-|
From this speech it appears that before
they undertook to build the Alabama,
the United States Government had been
in treaty with the Messrs. Lairds to build
punhaafc and ,ppYifar. W. ,ET,raJ -.
Ter terns-hence the Alabama became a
Confederate ship instead Of a Federal
vessel. She left England as a merchant
vessel. Her Confederate commission was
read, and her proper flag unfurled on the
high seas where the C~onfederates had as
much authority as the Federal Govern
ment. 1t is the commission a sovereign
puts on board a vessel that makes her a
personiication of the sovereign. Even if
a ship be built in neutral territory she is
purged of that wrong as soon as she is
commissioned. II the Alabama was built
in violation of the neutrality law, that
was a question between the United States
and England. Frem the moment the
Confederates were recognized as beliger-
ants they had a full right to make wa,
10 every particular. The United States
acknowledged this in the first months of
the war. In support of this proposition
the speaker quoted "Vattel, Sd book,n
and argued that if the United States
could buy ships, the Confederate States
could do the same. The speaker then
quoted Justice Grier's decision in the
prize cases, reported in "2d Black Re
ports" laying great stress on the pas.
sage, sit is not necessary that the State
should be recognized.
MIR. Semmes entered largely into the
history of the South American States.
claiming that their cruisers captured
prizes, and carried them iuto Americana
ports. In illustration of the fact tbatl
the Confederate States were recognized.
and entitled to all the sovereign rights of
war, Sens. Grant and Sherman treated
Gems. Lee and Johnson as Generals of an
army. Allusion was here made to the
circumstances Of the speakers parole,
and to the fact that he was described both
as Admiral and General. Johnson and
Sherman treated with each other as EQUALS
We laid down our arms in consideration
that the safety of our arms should be |
guaranteed. When Gen. Grant wrote his !
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