The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-04-30
THE DISONIAN /.
From the North .fnssriean
THE WHISKEY RATION IN THE NAVY

4,
There was time when most of those connected
with the NAVY we're in favor OF the whiskey ration:
Ii was regarded as an element when lhe naoi's VI
the sailor il not the hardshps oil ms conuioh nau
rendered expedient. We were once u uis oP'ioa
ourselves but experience that great ana hhai test
of ali things has produced 4 different conviction
II has been shown with conclusiyeness that ad-
mits of no cav that the hardest sea service IS best
performed by those who use no alcoholic drinks
I'VE adduce in evidence of this the health and strength
found in our whaling vessels where no spurious IL
quors are used and where the hardships are unequa
ed in any other branch Of our marine. we have also
hundreds of merchantmen afoat, where the utmost
enterprise and vigor prevail and where no afthciai
stimulents used But evidence stops not here
We have also men of war in service, where among
large proportion of the crews, the whiskey ration mas
been voluntarily commuted for other articles, ana
where still the highest degree of aacrity and strength
abound. And further, we have one frgate at least
ahoat, where as we are informed, every soul on
board, from the commander down to the loblolaboy,
is ttotler and where order, discipline and energy
are unsurpassed. With these facts before US, facts
founded in experience, are prepared to say that
the whiskey ration in the Navy can well be dispensed
with.
The law as it now stands makes it part of the
sailors ration and commander, not the Secretary
of the Navy himself, can withhold it. A large pro-
portion of the crews Of our public ships voluntarily
relinqush it. few from the force of habit, OF ig-
norance of the benefits of giving il up continue its
deck twice thrice day, where, in the presence OF
all the rest of the crew, the whskey is dealt out to
them and where their faces lighted up for the
moment with the delirous excitement impaired. -
Now, what must be the effect of such an example
What its effect the youth Of the crew. and on that
sailor whose abstinent purpose sometimes wavers
Temptations out Of sight lose half their power II
is our eyes that gives the forbidden fruit its charm
And yet no commander under our present law, can
refuse to present this pernicous infectious example
to his crew every day. He cannot have this insidi-
Gus poison administered in secret he has right to
order the men down into the hold for the purpose
nor can he cast upon the indulgence any stigma or
rebuke II is honored and protected by law, and he
is obliged to respect that law.
What them in view of all these facts, is the duty
of that body which made this law but to repeal il
Can any man face this evidence and protect it Can
he look at the evils which it inhics, and plead for III
Can he stand over the ruins Of soul, mind and body
which it entails, and defend il No, no, not for one
moment. 1t ought to be- abolished at once, utterly
and forever 1t ought never to have been incorpo-
rated with the provisions of the service. But igno-
rance of its destructive nature allowed its enactment
That ignorance, however, now no longer exists and
there no apology left for its continuance Let Con-
gress then strike It from Naval statutes, and sub
sttute for its poison what will promote the comfort
health and strength Of our seamen.