222 CONFEDERATE PORTRAITS

than this, coming from such a source, and the talk of " pirates " seems to be forever disposed of. Nevertheless, there is one authority on the other side, of such weight and significance that I cannot altogether pass him by. This authority — American — is, indeed, speaking of pri- vateers in the Mexican War ; but the methods and prac- tices animadverted upon are so closely akin to those of the Alabama that that vessel could hardly have escaped being included in the condemnation, in spite of her claim to be a duly authorized Confederate cruiser.

Our authority, then, speaks thus of the composition of crews. "It is necessary that at least a majority of the officers and crew of each vessel should be citizens ; not citizens made ad hoc, in fraud of the law, but bo7ta fide citizens ; and any vessel which might have attempted to cruise under a letter of marque and reprisal, without this essential requisite, would have become, from that mo- ment, a pirate." ^

Again, this writer expresses himself in the severest terms as to commerce-destroying generally. Indeed, there is a growing disposition among civilized nations, to put an end to this disreputable mode of warfare under any circumstances. It had its origin in remote and bar- barous ages, and has for its object rather the plunder of the bandit than honorable warfare. . . . From the na- ture of the material of w^hich the crews of these vessels are composed — the adventurous and desperate of all nations — the shortness of their cruises, and the demor-

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