The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-09-03

FIoscIro IN TIE Navy Pebble opinion is IA
pldy arriving at the conclusion that the progress Of
civilization, Of the principles Of humanity, aud the
interest and promotion Of that branch of the public
service, demand that hoggiDg shall cease to be in
Hicted on the marines Of the American navy. The
prophecy Of putting an end TO this brutal and de-
grading punishment, has been zeslously discussed
throughout the country for year or two past, and
IL we are not much mi s,aken il will be certainly
abolished dunng the next session 81 Congress, and
better and more efficient system adopted in its
stesd.
Fogging ia the navy would have been dispensed
with long since, but for the influence of clique Of
cid foaies connected with The service, whose idea.
on this, and almost all other subjects, completely
behind The age. They imagine, we suppose, that
because the rattan WAS freely used in academies
and schools when they were youngsters, by pa
rents IN rearing their children, aad tina, the Of
the ca, prevailed in the navy when they joined il,
,hat therefore Jogging can; be dispensed with,
without manifest injury TO the scrvicl. This Kind
OF argument will not do. They forget, or do not
know, thai The rattan has long since been driven
out Of schools and seminaries Of learnIng-ihat
parents use moral suasion and kindness instead Of
the rattan in bringing up their children, and that
IN the penitentarics and statc-Prisons throughout
the country, the whip is seldom or ever used
O,hcr and more eflec,ual means Of punishing the
disobedient or unruly, are sdopied-the principa
one OF which IT, in state prisons, the showerbath,
the use of which does not degrade man in hi T
own estimation or that OF his fellows, which doeV
not leave its stripes and marks after 1t, and which
has never failed TO bring the most ncougbe or UNI
rply rcprobaic to terms and submission. few requir
ing more than second application. Why could
NO, a similar system Of punishment be adopted in
the navy The old fogies referred to, would per-
haps denouncc it at once, childish, aud a use
less punishment, but the experience OF our state
Prisons shows the reverse.
Tia notorious that two-th,rds, II net more, Of
III. marines in the American navy arc foreigner m,
whs have been cast on our shores pcnness aud
homeless and who arc induced TO resort to j, by the
pressure of empty stomachs. How is IL that Amcr-
cans will no, enlist IN the service Because, az we
firmly believe, the barberous lash is resor,cd to
every occasion. Freedom Americans will not
Place themselves in a stuatoo, in which, tor a
trivial offence, unattended and unprecedented per-
hsps, they would be liable to be seized tied to gun,
and suffer the degrading punishment of the cato
sine.tails II has also been proved that that mode
Of punishment can be dispensed with. IL was
proved in the squadron which Commodore stockton
commanded in the Pacific. during the war with
Mexico. During the whole cruise, il We are cor
rec,ly Informed, the lash was not rcsoried to in
s,rsle instance, and yet there was want OF die
sjpline-no disob,dence Of orders. tn the con-
u.ry, thc squadron was in The hsbess state u