Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1837-10-20
ITrom our Evening Edition Of Yesterday

The Loss THE STEAM PACKET HoME.-There
- event OF modern times, that has created greater
sensation in the community than the loss OF the beau
tful bat frail Charleston Packet.
This is not perhaps on account of the loss of the
"Home" exclusively but that the many losses Of yes
sells of late years. and the immense sacrifice of life that
has ensued has length awakened in the public mind
feeling of horror at such calamlties occasioned by
the recklessncss of man. rather than by the hand of
God, and determination to prevent a recurrence OF
such dreadful events, by taking those necessary pre-
cautions which have hitherto been almost altogether
neglected
1t is universally admitted, that the Home packet
was too frail vessel weather such storms, such
seas, she must necessarily encounter in her voy-
ages.
Owing to her construction, she was considerably
strained in going out the time previous to her last
voyage; and in going out this fatal Time, some cap
tains who witnessed her departure, evnced by their
expressions, that all was not right.
"See' cried one show she pitches her stern out of
water"
Sand now her bow" cried another, "you see her
copper BOTTOM
sea captain, whose name we have, visited this
vessel when in port.
"The Home" he exclaimed ga good name for her.
she will be the home of a great many"
This proves how wreIchedy unfit for sea was this
boat; and yet in this, the lives of one hundred
and thirty five persons to be imperiled.
In this respect blame attaches itself to the cap
tain He with the rest endangered his life The
blame here rests with the owners builders-and
this and many and most of the deploable accidents
that have happened in past years. has been owing TO
the too great liberty which enjoy under our Con-
sttution. There may be too much even of good
thing
True liberty consists in the protection of the life and
property Of the members of community taken collec-
lively.
The liberty of an individual is often the slavery of
community. II is then in his power for his ag-
grandizement to construct such vehicles, machines,
or vessels as he pleases to imper to unlimited
tent, the lives Of his fellow citizens; and though
where gross could be proved, such wretchs
life might be forfeited, yet would this be no
for the dreadful calamity which he had occasioned.
There is nothing under which greater abuses may
creep than liberty. tits the proudsst flag which ever
waved freely under the broad heavens and has been
by the designing and wicked, most fouly stained. In
all our legislative enactments then, let consider the
liberty of the many, not the few the community at
large, not the individual.
II generally known that our vessels beat those of
England in sailing, but the is not generally
understood. II is not has been by many errone-
ously supposed owing to capabilities of building
Aeeter vessels but to opportunity of so doing. In
England there is law relative to the building of all
vessels which necessitates the and builders
construct them OF a certain breadth in the BEAM and
many other particulars. This law was passed after
long, deliberate, and investigation and refiec-
ion, by men competent for such purpose. Now while
xkx~ ~ n
sen their speed somewhat in proportion to our own;
it at least gives them an increased ratio of safety,
which is certainly of paramount importance.
This is what we want-an assurance of safety-a
lava legislative enactment that shall compel ship
wrghts and owners to construct their vessels upon
safe principle under the heaviest penalties Of
noncompliance; also proper officers appointed to ex-
anime every vessel before il is launched from the dock
in which il is built Until this is done, nothing will
be done.
We come now TO another part Of this melancholy
business-a painful part-one that involves the con-
duct ofthe captain OF the vessel who has fonly
escaped with his life and been great sufferer-but
duly Is stern and incorporating.
Ifthe statements of the passengers, Mr.. Vanderzee
and Mr.. Holmes, are correct-as we have no doubt
but they substantially are-then have we no words
sufficiently strong to express the gross cupabiy Of
his conduct
IT. as they say the steam packet Home struck in
going cut of this port off Sandy Hook, he has wan
tonly and wickedly neglected his dutyhis imperous
duty-which was to put back Immediately and to
have the vessel examined in dry dock TO ascertain
whether or not she had received any damage that
might render il necessary for her to be repaired pre-
vous TO her going the voyage He had no other
course to pursue-ihe lives Of all the passengers and
crew were at his mercy-he had no right to trihe
with them he had right TO imagine that no dan
ger had been incurred by the accident-he ought to
have proved il ncontestaby-to have placed II be-
You'd the shadow of doubt. He did not do 50.
We do not mean to say that this calamity was oc-
casoned by this most culpable neglect although we
presume II to be possible for tho boat then to have re-
<eived a strain, which might nave caused her to
spring leak in the first rough that she cncoun-
Aored.
The make of the vessel-her extreme length-was
alone sufficient to cause, which il most probably did,
her wreck But this does not exonerate the captain
of the boat, who ought for his sake and for the
sake Of others, 10 give a strict account for his con-
duct
II is upon such points as these that the lives of