New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-04-18
Raphael seH,ntes EentenniRliy.


called the rebel, is opposed to the centen
| NAL celebration. The commissioners vii
most likely meet at Philadelphia, and con
| slider the question OF postponn@ he cele
bration until the next century. when Mr.
| Semmes will be more pacific. The Admiral
i. appears, is not very proud Of the Unitet
States; but the greatest objection ho has t.
| the government under which he is no,
| obliged to live is that it's Congress rnadt
| the fourteenth amendment to the constitu
! ti"n without consulting him, and in that
! amendment declared that persons having
previously taken an oath as an cthcer OF
the United States, and afterward engaged
in rebellion, should be ineligible thereafter
to hold Office under the government. Mr..
Semmes objects. He appeals to the people
of Alabama, and tells them how he was
seated in the lighthouse bureau" when he
was called upon to desert his hag. His
description is very minute and touching;
the Telegram was flashed over the wires
his State Twas crying aloud to him in her
an guish," and Raphael left his seat in the
lighthouse bureau, and came down to the
Alabama lowlands and did what he could
to break up tho Union OF States. His
knowledge Ut the sea at tho same time en-
abled him to do a little privateering. 1t
was disappointment to the admiral that
this Union of States should continue 100
years; he tried to prevent it; and he is, per
haps, consistent with his rebel record in
opposing the centennial celebration. 1t
makes but little difference what Dir.
Semmes says, but if he has friend who
loves hin. that friend should ask him not
to make himself ridiculous. The centennial
is question for the nation to decide; Mr..
Semmes' grievance is that of very small
man in very small town. His letter is
addressed to the Mobile Register, and is as
follows:
To the Editor Of the Mobile Register.
"Tempcra mutanter, ct nos mutanur in ills
Alabama is to be present at the centen.
NAL. As d commentary upon the act by
which she proposes to degrade herself,
permit me to glance at a historical fact or
two. When, In tho year 1861, while hold.
ing a rank of commander in the United
States navy. | was seated in the lighthouse
bureau at W ashington, in the discharge of
my duties, a telegram was flashed over the
wires TO me, OF which the following is a
copy:
"MoNGoMERY. February II, 1861.
"SIR-On behalf of the Committee on
Naval Affairs, ] beg leave to request that
you will repair to this place at your earliest
convenience.
&C. NJ. CONRAD, Chairman.
Commander Raphael Semu es, " ashingto d. e."
The sovereign State of Alabama had Sc.
ceded from the federal Union, and war
being imminent, she stood in sore need of
the services of all her sons. Hence the tel
egram. Her son thus telegraphed. whose
only fortune consisted of his federal com
without moments thought for
the future OF his family, fastened 70 obey
the summons. All he knew or cared to
know was that his State was CRYING aloud
to him in her anguish, and this cry was
enough. What followed need not to be told |
IN this communication.
1t Is sufficient to say that the great prin. |
ciple of the sovereignty OF the States. as |
read by the lights of the federal constitp. |
ton, i'll which the States were the grantors !
OF certain we'll defined powers and no |
others, was involved in the contest. and |
that tho State OF Alabama deemed that she |
was lighting, not only tor her life, but for |
her honor also. Ia concert with her sister
States of the South, she fought long and
and, i'll the words of the late |
John Michel. ''all the best men" of the
State were CJnfederates. But she was
beaten IN the contest by the sheer force of
numbers, and after being beaten was spit
upon with contnmely and contempt. TO
make her degradation more palpabe and
enduring, tho fundamental law itself was
changed, and the odous and con-
.emptible fourteenth amendment found a
place IN the !
'ebel, George Washington, had signed. Bvj
he third section of this amendment il il
provided that certain persons who shall |
nave engaged IN insurrection or rebellion
against the United States (meanip q the late
Sarl shall DO ineligible to hold office undcr
,lther the federai or State government.
inless Congress, by two thirds vote cf
zach house, remove such disability" Thus
ire citizens of the State of Alabama today
branded as ''insucrectionists and rebels, nv
he constitution OF the United States In
amer words, the sovereign State of Ala.
'ama is humbled and degraded by a certain
class OF citizens, who. if they became
'lhsurrectlonists aud rebels became SO by
'cr command. To say nothing OF
liners, the undersigned. who came
0 her at her bidding as has been
hown, Is still under the ban of this consti
utlonal prescription, and has recently
'een insuited in addition bv an Infamous
lander. published against him on the floor
1 the Senate of the United States, in a re-
ort OF committee And in view of all
hese facts-ln view of the brand of iufamy
nd shame which has been burned, az Il
;ere, into tho very forehead oil the Stata-
he once proud State of Alabama-what
ave her representatives. assembled Ell
montgomery, recently done' Her Legisla-
1re, Democratic Leglslature-and her
Governor, Democratic Governor-haye
onsented that she shall stand, by means of
ertaln ntatiyes-chiet of whom il 70
g the Governor bitnself-at this radical love
east, the centennial, side by side with GER
Al,i other sovereign States whose equal she
, but who have branded her as describei. !
pariah and an outcast, branded ike a |
zion, with the brand still burning into her
row, she consents to meet Edmunds and |
'heFs, VINO have so recently insuited her
~, on terms OF amity and reconciliation. ,
DOR, degraded Alabama When that teIa
ram, which brought your son to your aid | ,
your hour OF trial and triDulation. | ,
tshed over the wires from Montgomery to ,
asbington city, was there an honorable
ian within your borders whose cheek wonld |
OF have been suifased with the blush of ,
lame at the bare suggestion of such
eGfauatloh' w hat say you good men and ,
'ue men or Alabama, are there anv OF Won | ,
} wanting IL spirit and manliness that Won
Ill accept from the hands of the Governor :
commission so tainted with dishonor, viii
Oh consent that at this great meeting Of
''trelsn otates-Hhich, If it We're properly t
)nceived and carried out, would far ONT.
me any meeting Of sogereigns heretofore {
own State shall stand croucbinc I
I'd BUNDLED a branded felon: branded bV ;
ie very fundamental law to which You are
zpected to sing hosannas9 1t has often
cen said that we lost everything by the G
ar except our honor. Are we prepared to |
lrrender this also! What say you, men of
Ohite7 VIII :.r l