Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-06-17


meet the exgencies Of the Govenman The rule
of the House intended prevent this kind of genera
legislation II was intended 10 do this IN The first place be
cause the appropriation bills must pass No matter wha
general laws they incorporated into these bills by way
amendment they must pass and that the objection which
he had TO this mode OF general Legislation Then again th
general policy of the Government should be settled by th
careful examination of committees and yet here, under thu
operation OF the ve-inute rule, gentleman and
amendment alter the general laws of the land whou
the examination of committee, without report upon it
merits, without Of the facts upon which it wat
based, for they could be stated in five minutes and
short, without any consideration such amendment
be thrust into bill which so through and become law
II this practice prevail the appropriation bills never
would through They had had before them for three
months the appropriation bills and they not half passed
They within three weeks Of the close Of the
fiscal year, when the Government, would require the appro
pratons which these bills would make and after they passed
this House they would have go the Senate be acted
by that body He appealed therefore, to his friends that
side of the House, who the majority and responsible
the dispatch Of business and for providing the and
for the operations OF the Government to stand by bills
and see them carried through If this practice prevail
1t would be impossible carry through these bills without
sorting the practice which prevailed when he first came to this
House; and that sit a bill out ["Ageed," agreed 7
He called upon bis friends sit out this bill. Renewed cries
OF "Agoeed."1 He withdrew his amendment.
Mr.. ROCKWELL, Of Connecticut, (having moved an
amendment said that gentlemen stated that at future
time they might make the changes 10 the regulations Of the
|
1t was the opinion of surgeons in the naval SERVICE and
OF our best officers that hesp raons could be dispensed
with now They say further, that the spirit raons the
of the greater part the punshments Of which gentle
men had spoken He had surgeon in the navy
who had recommended the abolition Of ii and he could
not but wonder that gentlemen here should that The
men not allowed these raons, they would get
habits II well known that the habits of the sailor
formed by this daily administering TO those habits But if
these raons were given up temperance board of ships
would be secured To guide in this matter have the
experience of another branch We have but from eight thou
sand to nine thousand in the United States Navy
whereas there from hundred thousand to So hum
dred thousand in other branches of the naval scribe. He
alluded to the merchant ships coastDg vessels whaes &C.
in nine enths of which ardent spirits allowed He
urged then, the committee pass laws by which the
cup would be lifted to the mouth Of the He wished
not to coercion sobrey, but he equally
DESTROYS that there should be coercion in the Of spirits
The voice of humanity appealed to them
this matter The good of the service and the welfare of the
men required II and he hoped they should not be diverted
from their purpose snee permit the loss of the amend
ment by loading down with amendments which certainly
would not improve it.
Mr.. ROOT (who also obtained opportunity speak by
moving amendment which he withdrew when he nshed)
said they had heard appeal from the chairman Of
the Naval Committee (Mr KISs) not to make the reforms
which of them contemplated, and he told them fur
Their that they would refer the officers Of the they
would learn that the OF the cat Indispensable
pecay IN bringing up the men 10 fight. Now, to the
kind of courage which the Scat would nfuse into man. or
the operation of whipping insuboidinaton Of man. he
would only say that would be better dispense with such
system altogether or to dispense with the persons who could
along without IT, Gentlemen would recoect that the
time had been when switches were put to DEATH and the
abolition Of that punishment them like the abolition of fogging
in the navy now, he had doubt met with many oppoers
who deemed indispensable. Again, very distant
day since whipping for crime a common punishment in
many of the States 1t doubtless deemed indispensable
when pracced, hut thank God abolished
and he hoped they would take from commanding officers and
all the other officers the power to administer corporal punish
the under their command. He hoped the ad-
uan daughter would be turned of the service for
could well dispense with her.
Mr.. SCHENCK inquired what substitute for corporal pun
ishment his colleague would propose
Mr.. ROOT replied that he would leave that to the nge
nu,y of the gentleman from Ohio, (M ScHEScK; but if
punishment in lieu Of barharous practice could be
found in Gods do at this period Of the world per-
init law to exist which will authorize any petty tyran tie
up Gods image and whip him for the good Of the service
He hoped the practice would be abolished forever As what
his colleague Mr. VSToS had said about introducing gene
raj legislation into appropriation bills he would only say
that he fully concured with that gentleman bot here
proposition before the committee and he hoped The committee
would sustain il.
Mr.. SCHENCK moved to amend by inserting the words
and that shall not be lawful for commander short
sail in without first piping all hands on deck and
taking of the ships company He said the gentleman
had spoken much Of petty tyranny in this House. who could
by any possibility have that which they spoke
and yet they sought by amendments appropriation
bill 10 make essential and radical changes in the whole dc
pne OF the navy, without being able suggest any substitute
for that with which they disposed dispense. In the
States they might abolish the whipping post and they might
resort TO confinement in prison. but what jacktar hum
ded there that would not give blessing to the who
should give him exemption from work by combining him
board Of ship II suggested that The sailor in confne
ment might be starved instead OF whipped but he not
why Gods image should be punished nwardly than
outwady Gentlemen talked Of punishment being inflicted
by officers the but gentlemen were evidently
not that single blow could he struck without an
appeal the commanding officer Of the vessel and officer
who should do would be liable trial by court martial
Gentlemen should bear in mind that when they ship
TO sea, they but eight ten, fifteen, twenty officers TO
command 500 or 900 men, amongst whom there were
many turbulent spts who, without strict discipline might
turn upon their officers and render the service useless From
petition signed by the and boys on board the
ship Union, he found that in the navy itself there was an
opinion against the abolition Of corporal punishment This
the opinion Of all gentlemen who bad had much expe
Renee in naval affairs.
This whole subject Of sbolsing corporal punishment In the
bad been referred to the Secretary Of the Navy by this
House in the 2sh Congress and his opinion asked any
possible substitute, and be had reported that it coui be
dispensed with shipboard without injury the discipline
OF the service and endangeng the safety Of ships Of
The Secreiary's report was in these
NAyr DFrlRrmESr, FrB. "a, ls45.
Sin In obedience 70 solution requesting the Secre-
ary of the Navy report to the House OF Representatives
what substitute, ii any be the present mode Of
corporal punishment in the navy without the dis
cpne OF the SERVICE have the honor report That The
subject has engaged anxious attention. and that
Of any mode Of punishment that be substituted
LNN k.s. lAH 1.n