Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-08-20
Admiral Sernmes. Speech.

Admiral SenIneS' Speech.
At the meeting of the Southern Historical
Society, Admiral Semmes said
He had bean called pirate, buccaneer, priva-
teer. His was nothing but n regularly commits
stoned ship The destruction of property on land,
which represented the necessaries, was not con-
sidered by our enemy as robbery but the de
struction of property at sea, which was the
wealth of the nation, by him, Was called piracy.
lr. oldcn times the destruction OF commerce was
a slow matter, and the nation that succeeded in
most damaging the others commerce Was gem
orally victorious; but it WAS not so slow since
the introduction of steam II had been his lot
to command the first steam frigate, and her fame
was due to this and not her commander. His
warrant f + all he did on the high seas could be
found in the laws of nations and still more IN
the acts of the federal navy. The denial OF bel
ligerent rights to the South was farcical. The
blockade and the very parole Given them proved
their rights as belligerent$. The labuna being
built in England gave no claim to that govern
ment to mold her. A gain, she armed and
equipped out of England. Her commission was
read upon her n'lartcr deck and her flag un-
furled on the high seas. The federal govern
ment had for n year before the purchase of the
Alabama negotiated with her builders Cor SINH.
lar vessels. He got her by paving more This
fact he established by proof. 20 refute the cain
that England should have held her when in any
British ports. he referred to the WAT OF Spain and
| the colonies and the action of this government,
citing the Santis$ama T indad He next refer
red to the wars of l776 and 1872. He quoted OK
tenSivey from Cooper, and cited Paul Jones
and others. The part taken by Franklin and
the State of Massachusetts in furthering nautical
enterprises the cases of the Queen of France,
the Surprise, Revenge and other eases Us sna!o-
gous, were dissected
\ MODERN RADICAL STATESMAN. We
have read the letter written by Mr.. Geo. f..
Hoar, NJ. c., OF Massachusetts, against Gen.
B. L. Butler. 1t is scathing review of the
record and character of the old sinner, who, it
seems, his own people were much louger IN
finding out than the Southern people were.
Il suppose General Butler to be incapable
either Of believing or understanding that any
body can do anything in this world merely be-
cause he thinks it is right and without any
selfish end. "
Further Mr.. Hoar says:
Gen. Butler real grief arises from the op-
position he is cpcounterlng in his plan to get
possession of the Government of Massachusetts
by a fraud on the Republican voters. \ few
office holders of feeble virtue, whom he has
succeeded in persuadiug that they are in dan
ger FROM his revenge if they do not lend them
selves to his schemes, lavish expenditure OF
the competent private fortune these are the
instrumentalitics by which he hopes to cheat
the Republican voters of Massachusetts cut OF
! the honest expression OF their WILL
Gen. Butte $ rage at the Press. the clergy,
and most OF the prominent men OF his own par
ty is not strange. 1t is tie common cutlery OF
great naletactors that mankind are 10 league
against them.
Mr. lloar concludes as fDows:
. 1t would be hard to tiud i leading supper
ter OF Gen. Butler who will say that he deems
him honest, truthful, diSintcrestcd or lucapa-
bic of using power to crafty both his ambition
and his revenge. The men whom Gen. Butler
will beat are the men whom he per>uaIes to
support him. ..u:
II have only stated what is known to intelll-
gent men. The people will recognize the idei-
Ity Of the portrait have drawn. \ Its icat-
urcs are disclosed, unma>ked, in the letter
which has called out this COMMUNICATION.
IMPROVE TIE QUALITY or GRAlN.-We
commend to the attention OF our mlcrs ahd
grain dealers the advice to impress upon iarm =.
ers the advantage of improving the quality OF
their wheat. Too many farmers plant and SOW
''as it comes, year after year. Corn IS an eX-
ception, but why? Because It is handy to Sc
leCt. but why select DIT al. l'oea"'S - l. LIZ
derstood to be good. Experiments have de-
monstrated and analogy has shown that the
finest and best samples Of seed, selected each
year, will improve the quality and quantity Of
the product. The stock-raiser always takes the
best animals for brccders-never the dwarfs
and cuIls-heucc his stock improves each year.
The same rule applies to the vegetable king
dom. Analogcahy, then. it is wise to select
rho bost wheat oat; or barley each wear for
seed. This is not very easily done, therefore
it is neglected With little trouble Oh the
part of the farmer, the finest and ripest heads
could be selected, sufficient to SOW half an acre
From the product OF this select the best the
following year, and so 90. This continued
three or four years would work decided diff:
ference 10 this way wheat or any other grain
can be improved and the yield enlarged There
would then be earlier maturity, larger grains
and better growth. Bait. dn,ericau.
The President is travelling about in Maine
aud Vermont, being everywhere courteously