Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1872-04-13
9allas Aerald
ROBERT JOSSELYN,
EDITOR.
Memoirs Of service AlOat.
By ADMIRAL RAPHAEL sENMEs.

DI ADMIRAL NtFHNth of""'''
This large volume Of s3s pages was pub
lished in 1869 by Kelly Piet & Co., of
Baltimore, but IL has never been our good
fortune to read II until very lately. 1t
has been q rich treat 10 us, and we do not
believe that any cultivated person, how
ever strongly prejudiced against the South
for its late attempt at separation and in
dependence, can read this book without
admitting its literary ability and its CON-
plete success US nm interesting narrative of
naval events. Admiral Scmmes commen.
ces his work with a vindication Of the
separation df fKs States, showing plainly
the nature Of our government, MS 1t existed
before the war, and the undoubted right
of secession for juslifable causes. In this
he has exhibited a strength and clenrness
Of argument, pl acing him fully side by
side with Bledsoe and stephens which of
itself is great praise. Having thus cleared
the way by complete Justification Of the
Southern States, and himself for adher-
ing to their cause, he gives very graph.
ic and charming narrative Of the cruises,
exploits and adventures Of the Sumter
and Alabama from the beginning to the
ending of their wonderful career. Few
writers have equalled him in the vivid
ness Of his descriptions Of the sea, its cur
ents, storms and various wonders, above
and below, and he surpasses them all in
his extensive knowledge and ready and
pleasing application Of it to every thing
around him. What has, struck us with
more surprise than any Thing else is the
easy familiarity with International and
Admiralty law, exhibited tSre ughout its
pages, proving that the gallant Admiral
was more than a match for any thing he
ever encountered from Sc ward and Wells
down to the most pretentious U. s. Consul
His official letters on these subjects are
really masterpieces Oe their kind. in clear
ness of statement and force Of argument,
as well MS in the application of the law
and the most happy illustrations. Mr.
Semmes would make most able foreign
III in lister and a splendid practitioner in
the Admiralty Courts. 1t is pity such
IN lents should not he constantly employed
for the public good. But Admiral Semmes
is now, by the fortune of war, one of the
prescribed class, Of which we ourself have
the honor to belong in more humble
sphere, and he is still subject to the oppro-
brious epithets Of "piratc aad freebooter"
bestowed upon him by the ignorance or
spite of northern editors and small his
torians. How, when on land by the ac-
of belligerent rights, Of
fcers Of the Southern Army were treated |
ne gentlemen and equals, gallant high |
toned and accomplished officer of the South
ern Navy should be designated rs u "pi.
rate" surpas ses our understanding There
is, in short, no sense in ii. IL is true that
Semmes made war upon the merchant
service Of the United States, as he had the |
perfect right to do, and that lie did, rs the
old song says, "burn, sink and destroy"
as he clearly had the right to do, and as
has been done often before and will be
again under like circumstances. What |
of that? Was not the same thing done in
the way of burning and destroying Oh |
land by the Federal troops and under the
command of their most noted Generals?
How many unarmed and peaceful families
in the fair Southern land were utterly |
ruined by the march of Northern armies
and by the depredatory raids of smaller |
bodies? Houses were burned to ashes, with |
all their libraries and furniture of every |
kind, often of the most costly description,
and women and children were left without
food or shelter for their heads. IL was |
an avowed object, on the part of the North
ern Government, to starve the rebels out |
by irdiscriminate destruction. And will |
the writer's who justify all this, persist in |
branding the noble Sehmes as ''pirate?' /
Let shame forbid. II is time thdtI oppro- /
brious epithets should cease, and that the |
people Of both sections should treat each |
other as once engaged in an honorable
struggle for the mastery, and now as
united whole, entitled to equal rights and
IL this is not to be, then
the time is not far distant, when civil war,
with all its horrors, will again arise to
frighten and desolate the land. Let there
be peace and good will.