The Northern star, and farmers' and mechanics' advocate. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1837-1849, 1849-03-24
SPEECH OF
HON ALBERT C. GREENE,

oA'the supJecs oi riogging In the Navy.
hlr Greene also presented q resol ", los
pessed by the Legislature Of the State Of
lthg3A lsland, 10 favor OF abolishinE the
.spHitsfation aud corporal punishment in
the naval service.
lp~i@sesen'ng these resolutions Mr.
Gx1 Aa,d
! * The indulgence OF the Senate for
moment, beca cause l hsye voted on one
of The questions presented 10 the Senate
by tha paper which has just been read,
and TAO vote which have gwen msy pos
sibly .iead TO erroneous impressions in re-
ieT7e 10 my views on the subject 10
~hicWil relates. 1 am in favor, sir, Of
abrogIug the puoishment Of the lash IN
the nevy Of the United States, bot | am
10 favor oi that, as | am IN favor Of ali
olbs' Legislation only at the proper time,
in iire proper place, and in u proper man
ner. The proposition on this subject
came before the Senate as sn sme ndment
to ihe bill making appropriation fr the
civil aud diplomatlc expenses Of the Gov
eminent "a bill which must be- passed
or The wheels Of the Government would
be stopped. That Of itself would have
been sufficient, reason with mo for vol-
ing against embarrassing the, bill with
such a proposition.
Bui, sr, this was not the only reason
why l gave that vote. l trust that !
am as much friend Of humanity as those
gentlemen who voted, consc,entously no
doubt, Tor the proposed amendment, but
l am not IN favor oi sbolishiDg the pun
Ishmenl o! the lash Until we provide for
il some sufficient substitute, or until we
have made same investig alton, and have
had some report, or some suthentic state
meat OF iscls upoa which we can act ad.
visedly. The law which nov exists in
reldt,oa to the punishment Of offences IN
tha.navy is not'a new one. ii has stood
pn cur statue book for the last iiy years.
is o par, OF code and Of a system,
Lsr0 regulates the extent Of punishment
SssA. shall be- inflicted. !, I,mns the
power OF The commanding officer IN the
infection Of this punishment 10 twelve
lsshes, and restricts the exc, cise OF il
10 the commanding officer alone, unless
under the sentence Of q court martial, un.
der which sentence il confines the mum.
the law which the proposition before the
Senate was designed 10 repeal, while it
provided no substitute in ns place. The
effec, Of this wouli be 10 leave that which
IL now fixed and settled rule OF punish-
ment-a punishment which IL now regu-
lated by law, 10 the mere arbitrary DIS
crelion Of officers, with power to iofIct
such as they may ;h'nk proper 10 order
10 IegislatIng on this subject, sir, :here
are various other considerations that
should influence our judgments. We
must look al the constitution Of tho navy
itself. l mean, to the kind ei persons Of
whom il is composed. Sir, We ere not
legislating for our commercial marine,
nor foi the men who man our merchant
ships who enter on board those
ships, not as ordinary sailors ior lie, but
looking to advancement, aiming 10 be-
come mastcrs and owners Of ships them
selves, and from among whom have been
formed some oi our mos, accomplished
sh,pmsslers and respectable merchants.
SIR, this Legislation is for class Of men
lhree-fourihs OF whom are foreigners, un.
educated, and unscquaIu,ed with our
laws and our habits. Sir, If VIZ abolish
tho punishment which has SO long exist
ed in lhs navy without providing for It
some adequate substitute, we shall ex-
pose ourselves TO the most dangerous
conse sequences, and we shall leave u in
the power OF the officers to infict instead
more cruel and equally degrading pun.
ishments. We have abolished The use
OF the lash 10 the army, and wbst has
been the consequence have il from
the hes, authority that the men are pun
isbed now by the chain and ball, by aus
pension by the thumbs aud by whs. 10
called the gag There are other SIM.
lar punishmeuis too IN use IN the army,
the names ol which | do not recollect,
which are certainly "a degrading as any
punlshmcnis that human belnps can
be subjected 10. Irnersle, sir. thai If
you sbpl,sh the punishment Of he lash,
without providing Tor 1t Q substitute, you
leave il IN the power Of those who now
Inhlct this punishment 20 substitute either
OF ell oil those which | have canned.
Would the Senate consent 10 thisi
will not undertake 10 argue The point.
! leave every one TO determine u lor
h..u.aH Ri - l all an. th.t 4 .xn