The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-08-18
MEETING OF THE SOUTHERN
HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
ADDRESS OF ADMIRAL sEMMEs.
REK4RKS OF GENERAL EARLY
Especial telegram to the Dispatch.l

MONTGOMERY WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS,
VA, August 16.-At II O'Clock General
Early called the Society to order and intro
duced Admiral Semmes. The Admiral said
he felt the honor in being the first TO ad
dress the Society. He would submit paper
in vindcaton of himself. He said his ship
the Alabama) had been called 4 pirate and a
,buccaneer, but he would show that she was
a regular ship-of-war, commissioned by pro-
per authority. The Alabama had warrants
for all she did, and her conduct was
fully justified by precedents from the United
States. He said that on the first proposition
he would say but little, and would confne
himself chiefly to the second. He said
the United States had applied to English
builders for ships before be did, but that the
Confederate authorities offered more. He
said the Alabama had been armed and
commissioned on the high seas. The whole
question involved in the Alabama complica-
tions was discussed eaborately, evincing
the most accurate information and learning.
After leaving the legal argument, he went
into citation of various precedents furnish
ed by the action of the United States in the
war of 1776 and 1912. He said the Ala
bama had done nothing more than the
naval authorities of the United States had
directed in innumerable instances. There
were grave charges against him-one was
that he had burned captured ships with
out authority of law also, that he had
violated his parole, and that be had
foreigners on his ship. He refuted
all these charges by indisputabe facts
and arguments. He said he was
imprisoned to make an example, and was
confined for four months while the United
States authorities were hunting up the eVi-
dence to convict him. He said that while
the Alabama was built in England she was
American all over. What our sires had
done in their day, their sons had done in
their day. The war is ended. II the nation
exists we will have but one history. England
has but one history. She had no history
of the war of the Red and the White Roses.
Our Confederate history will live for a
generation or more. In five hundred years
there will be no history of the Confederate
States, but of the whole country. Let Us,
then, preserve our records and archives.
Our, Society must not be sectarian. If our
Government is to be government Of the
majority, without constitutional restrictions,
our days are numbered; and when that
day comes we will be vindicated and honored
for our struggle for constitutional liberty, and
if we come back to the old form of constitu-
tional government our course will commend
itself unto all men. We are destined to be-
come people with one history. Let US show
magnanimity. If fame has been gained on
either side, let us perpetuate it. Let us
pursue that moderate course, and give credit
where credit is due. BY the standard of
truth he was willing to be judged. The con-
clusion Of his address was eloquent and
touching. He said that the Alabama sleeps
in the bosom of the British channel that
sleep Of death which her commander will
sleep in short time at most, as he trusts, IN
the bosom Of his native soil. If history en-
balms the struggle of the old thirteen colo
nies. so it will embalm our own immortal
struggle. His address greatly impressed the
large and apprecative audience. There was
no bitterness, but an able, temperate, con-
elusive yiadication OF the truth of history.
General Early made 4 few remarks to the
ladies. He wanted their assistance, aud de-
sired them to enroll the names Of their be-
loved dead. His remarks were very humor-
ous, and excited much laughter and ap-
plauSe. He said on one occasion he visited
the headquarters of General Lee, and was
abashed when he saw two ladies. General
Lee told him that he and General Edward
Johuson could act as escorts TO them. This
was one of the times he skulked.
He opened the doors of the Society to all
true men who had stood by their colors du-
fling the war and who stood by them now.
TIE Society adjourned till O'Clock this
evening.
General Hardee is better.
General Early is dancing with Mrs. Bald
win, of New Orleans, the handsomest lady
al