celess Northern
cities, their primary purpose was to break up the blockading
squadrons[976].

Shortly before the escape of the _Alabama_ and at a time when there was
but little hope the British Government would seize her and shortly after
the news was received in Washington that still other vessels were
planned for building in the Lairds' yards, a Bill was introduced in
Congress authorizing the President to issue letters of marque and
privateering. This was in July, 1862, and on the twelfth, Seward wrote
to Adams of the proposed measure specifying that the purpose was to
permit privateers to seek for and capture or destroy the _Alabama_ or
other vessels of a like type. He characterized this as a plan "to
organize the militia of the seas by issuing letters of marque and
reprisal[977]." Neither here nor at any time did Seward or Adams allege
in diplomatic correspondence any other purpose than the pursuit of
_Alabamas_, nor is it presumable that in July, 1862, the construction
plans of the Rams were sufficiently well known to the North to warrant a
conclusion that the later purpose of the proposed privateering fleet was
_at first_ quite other than the alleged purpose. Probably the Bill
introduced in July, 1862, was but a hasty reaction to the sailing of the
_Oreto_ (or _Florida_) and to the failure of early protests in the case
of the _Alabama_. Moreover there had been an earlier newspaper agitation
for an increase of naval power by the creation of a "militia of the
seas," though with no clear conception of definite objects to be
attained. This agitation was now renewed and reinforced and many public
speeches made by a General Hiram Wallbridge, who had long advocated an
organization of the mercantile marine as an asset in times of war[978].
But though introduced in the summer of 1862, the "privateering bill" was
not seriously taken up until February, 1863.

In the Senate discussion of the Bill at the time of introduction,
Senator Grimes, its sponsor, declared that the object was to encourage
privateers to pursue British ships when, as was expected, they should
"turn Confederate." Sumner objected that the true business of privateers
was to destroy enemy commerce and that the South had no such _bona fide_
commerce. Grimes agreed that this was his opinion also, but explained
that the administration wanted the measure passed so that it might have
in its hands a power to be used if the need arose. The general opinion
of the S